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After weeks of negotiations, delegates managed to agree on a frail, fossil fuel-avoiding deal as COP30 in Belém came to an end. COP30, a major meeting among delegations from various countries, met in Belém, Brazil, over the past few weeks to discuss possible climate action, preferably as soon as possible. However, the summit was incredibly divided between oil-producing countries and oil-opposing nations, and featured action from several perspectives. At first, Indigenous tribes struggled to gain representation at the summit, leading to protests outside the grounds. Eventually, tribes broke through the barriers around the COP30 building and forced their way inside , allowing them to attract attention for their cause– the prevention of Amazon deforestation. Then, several days later, a fire broke out at the venue, leaving at least a dozen people injured due to burns and smoke inhalation. Throughout the conference, lobbyists for fossil fuels remained a permanent fixture, constantly fighting against any sort of climate action that could cost oil-producing nations. In the end, these nations, such as Saudi Arabia and Russia, were able to stop the committee from passing a major bill to limit fossil fuel production, limiting the conference's benefit to the environment. In the end, countries were forced to settle for a frail agreement that provides poorer nations with additional finances to be able to adjust to global warming and work to reduce their emissions, but took almost no action to address the root problem– the release of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere by major emitters. The deal, named the Belém Package, encourages countries to reach their emissions goals and reaffirms the Paris Agreement, signed over 10 years ago, along with calling for wealthy nations to triple their climate investments by 2035. However, the agreement takes almost no legally binding action on any of these issues or the persistent fossil fuel problem, which was prevented by lobbyists and oil-producing countries. Countries impacted by climate change, like Colombia and Sierra Leone, clearly expressed their disappointment and anger over the lack of an agreement to save the planet. Others placed significant blame on the United States as well – the world's single largest emitter of fossil fuels – who did not send a delegation to COP30 at all. However, Arab states and Russia were extremely contented with the outcome of the conference, claiming that offsetting the impacts of climate change would eliminate the need for fossil fuels to be phased out. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The Great Pyramid of Giza actually has eight sides, rather than four. Subtle indentations in the center of each side create an extremely unnoticeable concavity that can only be seen under specific lighting conditions, like during equinoxes, and is virtually invisible from the ground. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Until you treat everyone as an equal, you have no right to complain about the treatment you receive from anyone. ( Unknown) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Metonymy (verb, muh-TAH-nuh-mee) - Metonymy refers to a figure of speech in which a word that is associated with something is used to refer to the thing itself, as when crown is used to mean “king” or “queen.” In a Sentence: Wall Street , Silicon Valley , and Hollywood are common examples of metonymy . Image credit to AP

At least eight people are dead and over 450 others are injured after a strong, 5.5 magnitude earthquake struck Bangladesh yesterday. The earthquake's epicenter was located near the city of Narsingdi, around 16 miles away from the capital of Dhaka, at a depth of 6 miles. According to local reports, the shaking lasted for approximately 26 seconds after beginning at 10:38 am local time. While the shaking was not extremely strong, at a magnitude of 5.5, the quake still did significant damage, and shaking was felt as far as the Indian city of Kolkata– over 200 miles away. Eight people have been confirmed dead due to failing infrastructure, with bricks toppling into roadways and roofs collapsing across Dhaka. Some buildings began falling over, endangering the people inside, and officials were also forced to respond to a fire in one neighborhood within Dhaka. Hundreds of people were injured, with stampedes and other incidents leading to various hospitalizations. Unfortunately, infrastructure has long been an issue in Bangladesh. The nation continues to grapple with extremely outdated, poor infrastructure due to lack of funding and constant government instability, leading to decreased emergency response times and more deaths in times of crisis. Additionally, Bangladesh lies on the intersection points of the major Indian and Eurasian tectonic plates along with the Burmese microplate, making it more vulnerable to tremors. While large earthquakes like yesterday's are relatively uncommon due to the constant sliding nature of the plates, tremors and occasional shaking happen often, and they do even more damage due to the country's lack of strong infrastructure. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): Will Smith owed $2.8 million to the IRS and almost went bankrupt just before he signed the contract for The Fresh Prince Of Bel-Air , launching him into the film industry. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin and culture is like a tree without roots. ( Marcus Garvey) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Bloviate (verb, BLOH-vee-ayt) - To bloviate is to speak or write in an arrogant tone and with more words than are necessary. In a Sentence: The podcaster tends to bloviate endlessly on topics about which he is not particularly knowledgeable. Image credit to Reuters

US President Donald Trump has released his latest plan to end the Russia-Ukraine War, featuring several major points that remain controversial. Trump and other White House officials feel that this plan is the only way to move forward with a ceasefire– while it heavily benefits Russia, satisfying almost all of their demands, Ukraine faces the risk of losing more territory if they continue to fight. The plan entails several key points, ranging from territory-based lines to military protection. Firstly, the war would come to an immediate end, with Ukraine ceding the oblasts of Luhansk, Donetsk, and Crimea, which are already heavily Russian. Meanwhile, Russia will give back all other territory that it has conquered, and the line dividing the two countries will be placed on the cities of Zaporizhzhia and Kherson. The Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Plant, located along this line, will now be supervised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), and power supplied by the plant will be divided equally between Russia and Ukraine. The Ukrainian Armed Forces will be limited to 600,000 people, down from their current 800,000, and NATO members will no longer be allowed to station troops in Ukraine. This will ensure greater safety for Russia to prevent incursions. On the other hand, Ukraine will be provided with a security guarantee from the United States, which they will have to remunerate for, and all sanctions will be reimposed on Russia if they invade Ukraine again. Additionally, the plan creates a Ukraine Development Fund to assist in rebuilding the country, and the United States will help with funding, reconstruction, and modernization of current infrastructure. The plan also uses $100 billion in frozen Russian funds to rebuild Ukraine, and Europe will contribute an additional $100 billion. Ukraine will also be required to hold elections in 100 days, addressing the recent rising concerns over current President Volodymyr Zelenskyy after a massive, $100 million embezzlement scandal among members of his inner circle. For Russia, all sanctions will be lifted, and the US will enter negotiations to determine a long-term trade deal that could bolster both economies and bring the latest technology, like artificial intelligence and major data centers, to Russia. Lastly, Russia will enshrine a policy of non-aggression towards the United States and Europe into law, while Ukraine will enshrine a law into its Constitution preventing it from ever joining NATO. However, the plan does make Ukraine eligible to join the European Union, which could heavily benefit them from an economic perspective. Other points within the plan include the creation of a humanitarian committee to facilitate the exchange of all prisoners, detainees, and hostages; the implementation of cultural programs to teach children of the country about the other, preventing future racism and injustice; the protection of the Dnieper River for Ukrainian trade; and the possibility for future negotiations to safeguard free trade throughout the Black Sea. The plan also outlines several steps that will serve as the basis for future NATO-Russia negotiations, helping to de-escalate the situation in Europe. First, Russia will be invited to rejoin the G8, a group that has since been known as the G7 since Russia's suspension in 2014 after the annexation of Crimea. Other member nations include France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, the United States, and Canada. Furthermore, NATO and Russia will hold talks to discuss future cooperation. Ukraine is yet to agree to the plan, but they have admitted that they are willing to negotiate and have acknowledged that it has potential. Russia has also expressed optimism over the plan, hinting that an end to the war may be in sight. However, Ukraine have drawn several hard lines that they continue to emphasize as they view this plan, and Russia refuses to agree to them. Due to this, while negotiations have begun, it may be some time before the final draft is confirmed. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The British pound sterling is the world’s oldest currency still in use, dating back over 1,200 years to the Anglo-Saxons. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): When you shut down vulnerability, you shut down opportunity. ( Brene Brown) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Gauche (adj, GOHSH) - Gauche describes someone or something having or showing a lack of awareness about the proper way to behave. When describing a person or a behavior, gauche can mean “socially awkward” or “tactless”; when describing an object (such as a product with a vulgar image or slogan on it) it can mean “crudely made or done.” In a Sentence: Some people view giving cash in lieu of a wrapped present to be terribly gauche , but I like knowing that my friends and family will be able to pick out something they truly want. Image credit to Getty Images

The artificial intelligence market seems to have received new life after the latest earnings report from Nvidia, but concerns of a bubble remain prominent. Across the last several days, concerns over a growing AI bubble had slowly continued to grow, bringing tech stocks lower and lower as a sense of impending doom began to set in for some investors. A bubble occurs when a certain stock or market becomes overhyped, leading to investment in the stock beyond its true worth. As more people jump onto this train, the stock balloons before plummeting in value once the bubble "pops" and investors realize the true value of the stock. In the case of Nvidia, the company has risen to the position of most valuable company within a few years– an incredible accomplishment. The company is now valued at around $4.75 trillion, but signs of a bubble lingered. Circular investing has also begun taking place– one of the most crucial signs of a bubble. This occurs when two companies invest in each other, leading to inflation of the companies' real value. For example, Nvidia made a recent deal with another major AI firm– Nvidia announced that they would invest over $100 billion in OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, boosting both corporations' stocks. Meanwhile, OpenAI continues to purchase Nvidia chips, circulating that money back to Nvidia. The purchase made by OpenAI was made using Nvidia's own money, but it counts as revenue for Nvidia. This practice can often be used to defraud investors in major economic schemes, but it is also a sign of a growing bubble. Additionally, Nvidia's P/S ratio is a staggering 28. P/S, or price-to-sales, is a ratio that describes a company's market capitalization divided by its revenue, with a higher number usually indicating overvaluation. The average P/S ratio for average companies is between 1 and 2, with some tech stocks averaging around 3 because of the quickly-growing nature of the market. With a P/S of 28, Nvidia appears to be extremely overvalued. Nevertheless, Jensen Huang, the CEO, and many investors remain bullish on the stock. Nvidia's latest earnings report was set to define the nature of the AI bubble, as the bubble usually "pops" when a company is not able to meet demands after overvaluation, but Nvidia smashed all expectations. Revenue beat estimates by around 3.5%, reaching $57 billion for the quarter, and profit soared over 65% from last year to $31.9 billion. The company also predicted a stellar Q4 ahead, with Huang emphasizing that demand for their latest Blackwell chip is "off the charts." The company's stock rose by over 5% in after-hours trading. This latest earnings report significantly cooled Wall Street fears of an incoming bubble, and the possibility that Nvidia continues to meet demand is completely feasible. Its performance in future earnings reports will likely determine the nature of the entire AI market and possibly even a majority of the tech sector, but Huang and other investors remain confident that AI will continue to boom for the next few years. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): In 2017, Adidas sold over 1 million pairs of shoes made from recycled ocean plastic, each pair taking 11 plastic bottles to make. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Solitude is not the absence of company, but the moment when our soul is free to speak to us and help us decide what to do with our life. ( Paulo Coelho) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Serendipity (noun, sair-un-DIP-uh-tee) - Serendipity refers to luck that takes the form of finding valuable or pleasant things that are not looked for, or to an instance of such luck. In a Sentence: They found each other by pure serendipity . Image credit to Unsplash

The United Kingdom has warned that China has attempted to recruit several Members of Parliament (MPs) to work for them as spies, putting them on high alert. The notice came from MI5, England's domestic security service, who pointed out two LinkedIn profiles that seemed to be linked to the Chinese Ministry of State Security (MSS). According to MI5, the LinkedIn profiles attempted to recruit people in British politics, especially MPs who help make decisions for the country in Parliament. The profiles, under the names Amanda Qiu and Shirly Shen, particularly focused on outreach, "laying the groundwork for long-term relationships, using professional networking sites, recruitment agents and consultants acting on their behalf." Additionally, MI5 also confirmed that the alleged spies could also potentially offer all-expenses paid trips to China or ask for online money transfers through cash or cryptocurrency, according to the BBC. China has strongly denied the claims, though, calling them "pure fabrication" and encouraging the UK to avoid making another such statement in the future to preserve UK-China ties. Just after the announcement, Security Minister Dan Jarvis declared a slew of changes and investments to UK security to prevent future Chinese spying. His new plan, known as the Counter Political Interference and Espionage Action Plan, will see the government begin educating politicians on how to recognize spying and other suspicious activities, deliver security briefings directly to political parties, and work with networking companies like LinkedIn to make their websites less friendly to possible malicious activity. Furthermore, he confirmed that the country will invest £170 million ($222 million) into updating technology that protects sensitive information in the UK government, and another £130 million ($170 million) will be invested into funding policing for counter-terrorism, cybersecurity, and national security as a whole. He also stated that their government has removed Chinese-manufactured surveillance equipment from all UK-affiliated sites across the world that handle sensitive information, according to the official website of the UK government. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): In South Dakota, you can get a driver’s permit at age 14 with parental consent– the youngest driving age limit in the US. Once you turn 16, you can get your license. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Worry never robs tomorrow of its sorrow, it only saps today of its joy. ( Leo Buscaglia) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Eccentric (adj, ik-SEN-trik) - Eccentric usually describes people and things that deviate from conventional or accepted usage or behavior, especially in odd or whimsical ways. It is also used technically to mean "deviating from a circular path" and "located elsewhere than at the geometric center." In a Sentence: He's an endearingly eccentric scientist whose methods are quite inventive. Image credit to Reuters

Yesterday, the United Nations Security Council approved an American plan to ensure peace and stabilize Gaza for the next few years, paving the way to a possible Palestinian statehood. The resolution included US President Donald Trump's 20-point peace plan , which approves the creation of an International Stabilization Force that would protect the citizens of Gaza and work to maintain peace with a new police force and demilitarization measures. They would also secure Gaza's borders and facilitate the distribution of humanitarian aid, further solving the crisis. Another key point within the resolution includes the creation of a Board of Peace as a temporary government over Gaza, with Trump as the chair of the organization for the next two years, in addition to the total withdrawal of all Israeli forces from the Strip once the situation is under control. These two organizations will work to restore peace in Gaza over the next two years, with the ISF working under the supervision of a Palestinian Authority, the latter of which will answer to the Board of Peace chaired by Trump. Finally, after pressure from Arab countries surrounding Palestine, the resolution also includes t hat if their duties have been “faithfully carried out and Gaza redevelopment has advanced, the conditions may be in place for a credible pathway to Palestinian self-determination and statehood,” according to AP. This addition drew the ire of various right-wing politicians within Israel, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has strongly rejected this statement and refuses to allow Palestine to become a state. Hamas also rejected the resolution, claiming that bringing a foreign power into Gaza violates the rights of the Palestinian people. Nevertheless, while Russia and China, two nations with veto power, had created their own resolution that supported Palestinian statehood, they abstained from voting on the US-led resolution, allowing it to pass unanimously. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): A study from Harvard University finds that having no friends can be just as deadly as smoking. Both affect levels of a blood-clotting protein called fibrinogen. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): The calmness of mind is one of the beautiful jewels of wisdom. ( James Allen) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Crucible (noun, KROO-suh-bul) - A crucible, in the word’s literal use, is a pot in which metals or other substances are heated to a very high temperature or melted. But crucible is more often encountered in figurative use referring to a difficult test or challenge, or to a place or situation that forces people to change or make difficult decisions. In a Sentence: The bronze was heated to 2,100 degrees in the crucible and then poured into molds designed by the artist. Image credit to AFP

Tehran continues to move closer and closer to Day Zero, a day when they will run out of water completely, but Iran has begun experimenting with cloud seeding technology to help the problem. To dive deeper into the concept of Day Zero and how it poses a threat to many cities across the world, including Tehran, check out this article  from our Climate section (member-only). Tehran, the capital of the Middle Eastern nation of Iran, maintains a population of over 15 million people and remains the most prominent city in a region of mostly desert. While the capital experiences blistering daily highs in the summer, they used to receive consistent snowfall during the winter, allowing them to replenish their water supply every year. However, due to climate change and rapid population growth, Tehran no longer has the resources to provide sufficient water to their citizens. 2025 is Iran’s sixth straight year of drought, with global warming and climate change bringing less and less rain to the country while increasing year-round temperatures. In fact, this year alone, rainfall levels have dropped 40%, with reservoirs and rivers reaching dangerously low levels. When looking at the current season, Tehran has seen around 95% less rain this fall than their average, showing the effects of climate change through stark statistics– the entire city has received just 1.1 millimeters of rain for the entire year, compared to their annual average of 350 mm. Snow cover has also decreased around 99%, as November is usually Tehran's snow season but any sort of precipitation has been nonexistent for most of the year. Meanwhile, decades of water mismanagement and over-extraction of groundwater resources have heavily depleted Tehran’s already-low water supply, with the agricultural sector also contributing to the crisis. Reservoirs are at incredibly low levels because of this mismanagement, at around 5-8% of their capacity, and one of Tehran's most crucial water sources, Lake Urmia, contains around 98% less water than it did in 1998. Many scientists and the broader public blame the Iranian government, not climate change, for the crisis because of its predictability. American scientists warned Iran's government years ago that they were over-extracting groundwater and were bound to run out of water at the rate that they were mismanaging their water, and within four years, Tehran is now dangerously close to Day Zero. In August, public restrooms were shut down, all public and private pools were cut off from water supply, and government offices began periodically closing down or cutting down their work hours to conserve water. Additionally, around 80% of homes have seen their water pressure reduced by almost half, and many homes are not receiving a consistent water supply at all. However, several days ago, taps began running dry across the city, and the government of Tehran now faces the prospect of having to evacuate the entire capital. Officials have confirmed that if they fail to receive rain within the next few weeks, a widespread evacuation is highly likely– but Iran has taken a last-ditch effort to try and initiate some rainfall using cloud seeding. Cloud seeding is a process where planes drop certain chemicals like silver iodide into clouds to enhance precipitation, creating rainfall if there is not enough of it. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): In Toy Story 2, in the scene where Buzz gives a speech in front of the American flag, the flag was edited to be a globe for release in non-American countries. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Be humble to the lowly, and gentle to weak. Be a dinosaur to the phony, and a stone wall to the critic. ( Abhijit Naskar) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Writhe (verb, RYTHE) - To writhe is to twist one’s body from side to side. The word is often used when the body or a bodily part is twisting in pain. In a Sentence: The injured player lay on the football field, writhing in pain. Image credit to Reuters

At least 120 people were injured over the past few days as thousands of people took to the streets across Mexico, protesting against government corruption and violent crime. While a considerable majority of the Mexican population is largely content with incumbent President Claudia Sheinbaum's handling of widespread issues, many are unhappy with the way she has addressed problems like corruption and crime. Sheinbaum's administration has taken a very different approach when compared to those of her predecessors, who adopted a "war on cartels" strategy similar to that of current US President Donald Trump. Instead, Sheinbaum has focused on increasing the government's intelligence capacity to target the root causes of violence– though many critics have thought of this strategy as ineffective and useless. While she has combated the propagation of fentanyl and other drugs across Mexico, violent crime remains a major issue. Sheinbaum has also refused to allow American soldiers onto Mexican soil to assist with the situation, leading to even more frustration. Several provinces still struggle with intense violence and crime across the country, including robberies, homicides, and extortions. One of the most crucial moments that led up to the protests was the assassination of Carlos Manzo, the mayor of the city of Uruapan in the western Mexican state of Michoacán, who maintained a strong voice against the spread of violence in the region until he was killed. Manzo was strongly against Sheinbaum's handling of the situation as one of the primary advocates for its ineffectiveness, but he has already become the poster child for Mexico's anti-corruption and anti-crime movement. Soon, protestors began flooding the streets, advocating against Sheinbaum and her policies. Sheinbaum claimed that the demonstrations were organized by her opposition, but many gathered after being rallied by Gen Z groups after efforts to coordinate on Discord and other platforms. The protestors broke a section of the fence surrounding the National Palace in Mexico City – the residence of the president – forcing police to step into action. Authorities released tear gas onto citizens and arrested 20 people for robbery and assault, but 100 police officers were injured in the process. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The thumbs-up sign is believed to have originated from Chinese pilots before it was passed onto the United States' Flying Tigers during World War II, who made the sign popular. It was used to communicate with the ground crew before take-off. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Real gold is not afraid of the melting pot. ( Chinese Proverb) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Radial (adj, RAY-dee-ul) - Radial describes things that are arranged or have parts arranged in straight lines coming out from the center of a circle. In a Sentence: Her mosaics echo radial patterns observed in nature, from succulents to sea urchins. Image credit to Getty Images

Disney has finally reached an agreement with YouTube TV over the distribution of ESPN services, ending a 15-day blackout that wreaked havoc across the media and entertainment industry. On October 30, the previous agreement between YouTube TV and Disney expired, removing all Disney-affiliated networks from the Google-owned streaming and live-TV service. YouTube TV and other streaming services are required to pay television producers like Disney to host their channels on their external platforms, but they usually negotiate long-term contracts ahead of time to avoid removing availability for customers. Because of the dispute, all Disney channels were removed from YouTube TV, including ESPN, National Geographic, ABC, FX, and Hulu. Both sides blamed each other throughout the blackout, which lasted over two weeks, leading to even more frustration among customers. YouTube TV claimed that Disney was charging exorbitant prices and tried to utilize the dispute to pull subscribers away from YouTube TV, bringing them to the media conglomerate's own Hulu + Live TV. ESPN alone charges YouTube TV $10 per month for each paying subscriber, making it the most expensive service in the country. Meanwhile, Disney argued that Google had been using their increased leverage to making YouTube TV refuse to pay their proposed rates. Google maintains significant leverage over Disney because of YouTube TV's growing subscriber base, making them a crucial distributor of Disney content. Unfortunately, many viewers had purchased subscriptions to YouTube TV solely to watch specific games in college football leagues, the NFL, or others, and that money ended up going to waste because of the dispute. However, a deal has finally been reached, bringing Disney channels back to YouTube TV for customers to enjoy. The new deal also gives subscribers of YouTube TV access to ESPN's new direct-to-consumer application, allowing them to log into the ESPN app with their YouTube TV account, along with a new bundle that includes elements of YouTube TV, Disney, and Hulu. YouTube TV and Disney have apologized for the dispute, and YouTube TV is now offering all of its subscribers $20 credits to make up for the loss. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The day after Thanksgiving is called “Brown Friday” by plumbers in America because it is their busiest day of the year– primarily due to clogged kitchen sinks and disposals from holiday cooking waste. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): It’s not how much we give, but how much love we put into giving . ( Mother Teresa) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Heyday (noun, HAY-day) - Heyday refers to the period of one's greatest popularity, vigor, or prosperity. It is usually used in the singular. In a Sentence: In its heyday , the circus was a major form of entertainment for the small town. Image credit to Getty Images

South Korea completely shut down yesterday as part of their annual tradition to allow students to focus when taking the CSAT– arguably the biggest moment of every South Korean's life. The College Scholastic Ability Test, or CSAT, is an annual exam given to university applicants on the third Thursday of November, also known as the Suneung in South Korea. The nine-hour exam encompasses Korean, English, math, and Korean history, but they can opt into a second foreign language, classical Chinese, or one or two elective subjects. Based on these scores, the Suneung can decide an individual's potential career, income, where they live, and who they marry if they go to university. Because of this, parents often begin preparing their children for the Suneung as young as preschool, hoping for them to get into a good university. However, the system has been blamed for years as one that promotes educational inequality, leads to increased stress and worse mental health, and discourages people from having kids because parents don't want their children to go through that situation. South Korea, in particular, has struggled with their fertility rate in recent years– the nation is one of the fastest-aging countries in the world due to the low number of people who want to have kids. While South Korean universities do take other factors into account, a high CSAT score is crucial for getting into a top-tier institution. Any student in at least their third year of high school or with a diploma can take the exam, and they can retake it the following year if the desired result is not achieved. Hundreds of thousands of students take the Suneung each year, making it an important day for the country. Yesterday, the third Thursday in November, over 550,000 South Korean students arrived at testing centers to take their exams – their highest participation level since 2019 – and the entire country shut down to allow them to focus in peace. Flights were canceled for 35 minutes as students took the listening portion of the English exam, the stock market opened late, military training came to a halt, and police were deployed to the streets to help escort late students to their testing spots. In fact, any students who run late for the test can call 112 to get a free ride in a police car or on a motorcycle to reach the center as soon as possible. Fact of the Day (The Fact Site): The American roulette wheel is different from the European wheel. The American one has 2 green spaces, 0 and 00, while the European one only has 1 green space, a zero. Although on both, if you add up all the numbers on a roulette wheel, you will get 666. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Childhood means simplicity. Look at the world with the child’s eye – it is very beautiful. ( Kailash Satyarthi) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Peremptory (adj, puh-REMP-tuh-ree) - Peremptory is a formal word used especially in legal contexts to describe an order, command, etc., that requires immediate compliance with no opportunity to show why one should not comply. It is also used disapprovingly to describe someone with an arrogant attitude, or something indicative of such an attitude. In a Sentence: The soldiers were given a peremptory order to abandon the mission. Image credit to Getty Images