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Azerbaijani authorities have found that Russian defense fire may have been the cause of a mysterious, deadly plane crash that occurred earlier this week. On Christmas Day, Azerbaijan Airlines Flight 8432 was flying from the Azerbaijani capital of Baku to the Russian city of Grozny, located in the Caucuses near the border with Georgia. As it approached its destination, it suddenly veered off course, changing direction. The plane proceeded to cross the Caspian Sea and seemed to be attempting to land in Aktau, a small coastal town on the Caspian Sea belonging to Kazakhstan. However, before making a successful landing, the plane sharply dropped, leading to a fiery crash around 2 miles away from the city. 38 people were killed and all 29 survivors were injured in the devastating crash, and the entire country of Azerbaijan held a moment of silence at noon on Thursday to commemorate the victims. The wreckage of the Embraer 190 aircraft was later discovered near the airport, and both black boxes have been recovered. There are two black boxes on a plane, one on the front and one in the rear, which record information about an aircraft during its flight. The black boxes are crucial to finding out the cause of an airplane crash. However, the definite cause is currently unknown, and authorities have not disclosed much information. Officials initially suspected that the plane changed direction due to severe weather ahead, but that would not explain the severe crash. Russian authorities stated that a bird strike may have sparked issues onboard the plane midflight, leading them to request an emergency landing. Other sources claimed that they were denied an emergency landing in Russia, causing them to reroute for Aktau. Azerbaijan Airlines also confirmed that the flight began facing control system issues due to a bird strike. On the other hand, after taking a look at the crash, experts believe that the incident should be attributed to Russian defense systems. Pockmarks across the tail hinted that the airplane may have been hit by shrapnel, and other factors have convinced several aviation security companies that the plane was accidentally hit by a Russian surface-to-air missile. Due to the increasing number of Ukrainian drones attempting to invade the country, Russia has ramped up their usage of anti-aircraft systems. Unfortunately, this means that untrained, less experienced military members may also be at the helm of these systems, meaning that the plane could have been mistaken for an enemy drone. Many experts believe, though, that supposing the crash was caused by their systems, Russia will attempt to cover up their mistake, as it would be bad for their image. Many different sides are backing separate theories, but more experts are arriving every day in Kazakhstan to investigate further into the crash. They expect to confirm a theory soon, but it will certainly require the important flight information recorded by the black boxes. However, it will take at least two weeks to read the black boxes, meaning that they should have a comprehensive idea of how the incident occurred within two to three weeks. Fact of the Day: 59 different countries have stars on their flag. Quote of the Day: Clouds come floating into my life, no longer to carry rain or usher storm, but to add color to my sunset sky. (Rabindranath Tagore) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Feisty (adj, FYE-stee) - Fe isty describes someone who has or shows a lively aggressiveness especially in being unafraid to fight or argue. In some regions of the US, feisty may also be used as a synonym of fidgety , quarrelsome , or frisky . In a Sentence: Even her opponents admire her feisty spirit.

Heri za Kwanzaa! Today marks the beginning of Kwanzaa, the holiday commemorating African-American culture. In a historical move, US President Joe Biden signed 50 bills into law on Tuesday ahead of a transition of government in January 2025. One law is called the Stop Institutional Child Abuse Act, and it creates a government work group to oversee youth residential programs. This way, the health and safety of minors in rehabilitation facilities is ensured. Another law is the Stop Campus Hazing Act. It requires higher education facilities, like colleges, to reveal acts of hazing. Hazing is when someone goes through strenuous, often humiliating, processes for initiation into something. Ever heard of ragging? It's like that, but for admittance into a group. Another measure, No Congressionally Obligated Recurring Revenue Used as Pensions To Incarcerated Officials Now Act (No CORRUPTION Act for short) disallows Congresspeople from receiving retirement money if they were convicted of any crime relating to corruption. Previously, a Congressperson could continue their payments if all appeals were exhausted. The new law was bipartisan, after former Democratic Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey used his political influence to advantage businessmen and foreign governments in exchange for bribes. Senate Bill 4610 made the bald eagle the official bird of the United States. No bill had been passed on this topic before now, and even though it has been added onto official emblems such as the seal, it has never officially been the national bird. On Monday, Biden vetoed a bipartisan bill to expand the judicial branch. The proposed law would have created 66 federal court judgeships over the span of 3 presidential administrations and 6 Congresses. The president said in a statement, " The House of Representative's hurried action fails to resolve key questions in the legislation, especially regarding how the new judgeships are allocated, and neither the House of Representatives nor the Senate explored fully how the work of senior status judges and magistrate judges affects the need for new judgeships." Fact of the Day (Facts.net): Kwanzaa was established in 1966 by Maulana Karenga, amidst the aftermath of the Watts riots in Los Angeles, California. Karenga sought to bring African Americans together, encouraging them to celebrate their African heritage and to foster a sense of community and pride. He drew inspiration from traditional African harvest festivals, creating a unique celebration that emphasizes values and principles important to the African American community. Quote of the Day: A man who pays respect to the great paves his own way for greatness. (African Proverb) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Menorah (noun, pronounced muh-NOR-uh) - A menorah is a candelabra with seven or nine lights that is used in Jewish worship. In a Sentence: At sundown on the first night of Hanukkah, Elliott's father helped him light the first candle on the menorah .

Merry Christmas and Hanukkah, everyone! Hope you have a great rest of the holiday season! This is the first year since 2005 that Christmas, a Christian holiday, and Hanukkah, a Jewish holiday, fall on the same day. Background (History of These Holidays) Christmas is a holiday celebrating the birth of the Christian messiah, Jesus Christ. The story goes like this: A woman named Mary and her husband Joseph were entering the city of Bethlehem when Mary started to go into labor. All the guest rooms were full, so Mary gave birth to baby Jesus in a stable and placed him in a manger. Depending on which part of the Bible you look at, 3 wise men or 3 shepherds came to see the baby. This story is referred to as the Nativity story. Hanukkah is a holiday celebrating the repelling of invaders from the Jewish holy city of Jerusalem. In 168 BCE, the Seleucid Empire raided the Temple of Jerusalem, and Judaism was outlawed. Only a small bit of oil was left that wasn't "desecrated" by the raiders. The oil was supposed to last only a single night. However, it managed to last for 8 days and nights! This was the miracle of Hanukkah. Celebrations Observers of Christmas usually celebrate by decorating a tree, attending a church service, and either acting or creating a model of the scene of Jesus' birth. A Christmas legend is of Santa Claus, a man who gives gifts to well-behaved children. *Note: The Christmas date mentioned here is the one observed by almost all Catholic and Protestant denominations. Practitioners of Orthodox Christianity celebrate Christmas on January 7, the Armenian Apostolic Church and the Armenian Evangelical Church observe on January 6, and members of the Armenian Patriarchate of Jerusalem celebrate on January 19. Observers of Hanukkah usually celebrate by lighting a menorah, a set of 9 candles. 8 candles represent the days of Hanukkah, and the candle in the middle is called the shamash , used to light the others. Eating fried foods or foods baked in oil, giving children chocolate coins called gelt, and adding special additions to daily prayers are other traditions. Coincidence of 2024 Since 1900, Hanukkah and Christmas have shared a starting date 4 times: 1910, 1921, 1959, and 2005. In the last 50 years, it has also started on Christmas Eve twice: 1978 and 2016. By now, you definitely have one question: how are they coinciding? Well, Christmas falls on the 25th day of December. Hanukkah starts at sundown on the 25th day of Kislev, the 3rd month of the Hebrew calendar. Since the Hebrew calendar is 11 days shorter than the Gregorian calendar, Hanukkah happens at a different time each Gregorian year. (The Gregorian calendar is the calendar we all use from day to day. Ex. January, February, etc.) This year, 25th December and 25th Kislev fall on the same day. This fun date helps out a holiday tradition called "Chrismukkah." It is usually practiced among inter-faith families, and it involves celebrating both holidays. For example, one might make foods to celebrate both Christmas and Hanukkah. The alignment will happen next in 2035 and 2054. Until then, let's celebrate both holidays with the same importance and wait for the next amazing dates! Fact of the Day (Facts.net): During World War I, on Christmas Eve, 1914, British soldiers saw some Christmas trees lined up on the German side and heard carol singing. One thing led to another, and soon, messages were passed between the trenches. The next day, both British and German soldiers exchanged gifts, buried casualties, repaired trenches, and even played football. Astonishingly, soldiers from the warring nations ate and drank together while the Germans sang "Stille Nacht" and the British sang the English version – "Silent Night." Quote of the Day: Christmas waves a magic wand over this world, and behold, everything is softer and more beautiful. (Norman Vincent Peale) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Wassail (verb, pronounced WAH-sul) - To wassail is to sing carols (popular songs or ballads of religious joy) from house to house at Christmas; the verb is usually used in the phrase "go wassailing." As a noun, wassail can refer to (among other things) a hot drink that is made with wine, beer, or cider, as well as spices, sugar, and usually baked apples. Wassail is traditionally served in a large bowl, especially at Christmastime. In a Sentence: Every year at Christmastime the magazine publishes a recipe for the traditional drink served to those who go wassailing and may appear at one's doorstep. Image credit: https://www.homedepot.com/p/SYNCFUN-Syncfun-24in-Prelit-Tabletop-Christmas-Tree-with-Warm-Lights-Holly-Berries-Pine-Cones-30086/317286658

We apologize that Upcoming Events was not included into yesterday's daily update. It has now been added, and you can view the updated article here . Japanese automakers Honda and Nissan have begun talks over a major merger, which would create the world's third-largest vehicle manufacturing company. Toyota is currently the world's largest automaker with Volkswagen in a close second, while Honda and Nissan lie in a distant eighth and ninth when it comes to vehicle sales. In recent years, the two brands have faced hardships due to global inflation and economic difficulties for many countries. In addition, both companies have struggled to keep up as the world rapidly shifts to electric and hybrid vehicles to release less carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. China is also a major market for both Honda and Nissan, and they have lost a large portion of the local market share over the past few years to Chinese companies like SAIC and BYD, the latter of which surpassed Tesla last year for the position of the world's largest EV manufacturer. In fact, all Western brands are struggling in China, which is the world's largest car market; around five years ago, foreign automakers produced 62% of cars sold in China, but that number has been reduced to just 30% as the country shifts towards Chinese-made electric and hybrid vehicles using government incentives. To add onto their woes, Nissan has been slowly losing one of their biggest allies in the automotive industry. Back in 1999, Renault and Nissan forged a deep partnership after Renault rescued Nissan from their serious debt, allowing Renault to take a 37% stake in the company. Mitsubishi Motors, another Japanese car company, joined the alliance in 2016. Over the years, their partnership remained relatively stable, but it broke apart during more recent times as mistrust grew between them. In addition, Renault maintained a much larger stake in Nissan than the other way around, displeasing Nissan executives. The company began suffering so much, though, that they were forced to lay off over 9,000 workers and decrease their manufacturing output by 20% after profits from March to September dropped by over 94% in 2024. Nissan was now struggling in the automotive market and had lost their biggest ally, leaving them in search of another partner to get their business back on track. However, if Nissan and Honda were to combine, it would be ideal for both sides. Both automakers are based in Japan, allowing for a more seamless merger, and they would be able to boost each others' sales while working together to advance in the electric vehicle market. Also, a merger would boost their future company to third on the list of largest automakers by sales, moving ahead of the Hyundai Group and enabling them to compete with the top brands of Toyota and Volkswagen. Mitsubishi has also established that they would like to be included into the merger, which is being considered by Honda and Nissan, and could to the value of the new group. Honda and Nissan aim to complete talks by the summer of 2025 and go through with the merger by 2026, creating one large automaker. Honda is expected to take the lead as the bigger company -- Honda's market capitalization is over $40 billion, contrasting to Nissan's $10 billion -- and will likely be the one to appoint the majority of the new board of directors. Nevertheless, there are several questions raised by the merger that have yet to be answered by Honda and Nissan. Many of their cars overlap in certain markets, so which ones will survive? Many of their production plants are also located in similar areas, so which ones will be sold off? In addition, of course, the reduction in manufacturing plants also means streamlining the workforce, so how many layoffs are on the way? These are all questions that both companies will need to clarify to shareholders and the public before going through with the deal, but if everything works out, it could end up being one of the largest mergers in the history of the automaking industry. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Crocodiles cry while eating. Typically when the crocodile is eating on dry land, they need to shed tears to lubricate and clean their eyes because they are not in the water. In addition, the movement of their head combined with the huffing, puffing, hissing, and blowing noises they make while having a meal can stimulate their tear glands. Quote of the Day: You can’t build a reputation on what you’re going to do. (Confucius) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Delectation (noun, pronounced dee-lek-TAY-shun)- Delectation is a formal word for a feeling of delight or enjoyment. It can also be used to refer to the source of such feelings. In a Sentence: The resort staff left a sampling of fine chocolate in our room for our delectation .

At least 67 people are dead after several deadly crowd crushes in Nigeria in recent days, which comes amid an extremely tough time financially for Nigerians. On Wednesday, 35 people were killed in a massive stampede at the Islamic High School in the city of Ibadan, the country's third-largest city, with a population of around 4 million people. Ibadan is the capital of the state of Oyo of southwest Nigeria and is located just 70 miles away from the country's largest city of Lagos. The school was hosting a funfair for local children and was handing out gifts and food during the event, which caused the stampede. Dozens of people were injured as well, and local hospitals soon filled up with patients. The Nigerian government begun an official investigation into what caused the stampede and how it happened, and they promised to hold anyone involved in the incident accountable. Then, on Saturday, an additional 10 people were killed in Nigeria's capital of Abuja on the same day. The second stampede of the week took place at the Holy Trinity Catholic Church when they attempted to give out food in a charity event to celebrate Christmas. The opening of the gates into the church sparked an influx of people who had been waiting for the food for hours, forcing people to trample over each other in a massive crowd crush. Over 1,000 people were evacuated from the area, and dozens of people were hospitalized with injuries. Unfortunately, 22 people were killed in another stampede during a local citizen's food distribution event on the same day. This time, the incident occurred in the town of Okija in the state of Anambra, located in southeastern Nigeria next to the Niger River. All three stampedes were due to a crush while handing out food, further proving that Nigeria is in a deep crisis. Nigeria is Africa's most populous country, with over 230 million people, but around 40% of those citizens live in poverty-- over 88 million people. In fact, a staggering 12% of the world's population in extreme poverty lives in Nigeria, making it one of the top three countries in terms of largest share of global poverty. Nigeria has also been experiencing a severe economic decline and extreme inflation over the past few months, which has crippled citizens financially. Inflation in the African country recently hit a 28-year high at 34.6%, and the cost of living for Nigerian citizens has skyrocketed during the past few years. According to the United Nations, the average Nigerian spends over 65% of their income on food alone, compared to a mere 11.2% in the United States. Due to this, charities and locals have tried to help struggling citizens by organizing food drives and distributing necessary items, but that has led to chaos among locals as they make a mad dash to grab as many supplies as they can. To prevent further incidents, Nigerian authorities have confirmed that citizens or organizations may not arrange charity events without explicit permission from police, which will allow them to increase safety measures around the area. However, Nigerians remain frustrated over the country's poor economic state, and while incumbent President Bola Tinubu has promised to remedy the situation, many citizens blame their current financial state on Tinubu and have very little hope in him and his government. Upcoming Events: Christmas (Wednesday, December 25) Hanukkah Begins (Wednesday, December 25) Kwanzaa Begins (Thursday, December 26) International Day of Epidemic Preparedness (Friday, December 27) Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Given the current global population of around 8 billion people, it means that around 7% of all humans are currently alive. Considering that humans have existed on earth for over 200,000 years, that's a significant percentage. Quote of the Day: Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realize they were the big things. (Robert Breault) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Ambient (adj, pronounced AM-bee-unt)- In technical use, ambient describes things—such as air quality or light in a room—that exist or are present on all sides. Ambient is also used to describe electronic music that is quiet and relaxing, with melodies that repeat many times. In a Sentence: The chemicals must be kept at an ambient temperature of 70°F.

We apologize that the daily updates over the past two days were not published due to a blog issue. They are out now-- you can view Friday's article here and Saturday's article here. The United States government managed to pass a stopgap funding bill in the nick of time yesterday, preventing a major government shutdown. Every year, many governments are required by law to pass an annual budget which determines how much money they will spend over the next fiscal year. When that budget is not passed by the end of the year, there are no approved funds for the following year, resulting in a government shutdown. In the United States, during a shutdown, all non-essential services are temporarily halted and hundreds of thousands of government employees are furloughed, or put on a temporary, unpaid leave. Essential services like military officers, law enforcement, air traffic controllers, and others are required to keep working without pay, which causes a host of problems across industries. Last week, a proposed last-minute, bipartisan bill was struck down by prominent Republicans after being approved by Democrats and Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, throwing the government into disarray. The deadline for the budget bill was Sunday at 12:00 am EST, meaning that they only had a couple of days to work on the bill and approve it before the government went into a shutdown. One of the most prominent Republicans opposing the bill was soon-to-be President Donald Trump, whose biggest demand was to remove the problem of the debt ceiling from the massive list of issues for him to deal with in 2025. Trump has a long agenda with numerous objectives on it, including dealing with immigration and taxes. However, one of the largest problems facing the United States is the debt ceiling, which limits how much debt the country can incur. It soon became clear that there was no way both parties would agree on a solution to Trump's demands before the budget deadline, so House Republicans decided to go through with the amended bill. Despite Trump's threats of electoral primary challenges against any House Republican who did not deal with the debt ceiling, 170 House Republicans ignored Trump's demands on Saturday and went through with the deal. It was later approved by incumbent President Joe Biden, saving the country from a government shutdown less than a day before the deadline. The new bill will postpone the budget talks until March 14, adding another issue onto Trump's already-full agenda. In the meantime, it will provide funding to government agencies until a proper budget is confirmed. The next political hurdle for the United States government will come on January 3, when Congress will elect the Speaker of the House. Republican Mike Johnson currently holds the position, but many Republicans are skeptical over his handling of the budget bill this week, making his support in Congress relatively shaky. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Bulls do not get angry upon seeing the color red. In fact, bulls are actually colorblind to red and green. The actual thing that stirs up the bulls during a bullfight is the movement of the cape-- bulls are more likely to charge at whatever object is moving the most. In the beginning, red became associated with bulls because matadors use red capes in bullfights, as red is most likely to hide the blood after killing the animal. Quote of the Day: The man who moves a mountain begins by carrying away small stones. (Confucius) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Testimonial (noun, pronounced tess-tuh-MOH-nee-ul)- A testimonial is a written or spoken statement in which a person says they used a product or service and liked it, or that they appreciate someone's work, skill, character, etc. Testimonial is also used as a synonym of evidence and testimony . In a Sentence: The website is full of testimonials from satisfied customers.

Today is the winter solstice in the northern hemisphere-- the shortest day of the year. However, for the southern hemisphere, today is the summer solstice-- the longest day of the year. The Starbucks Workers United union has confirmed that they will be going on strike in three major cities for the next five days, which includes the major holiday of Christmas. The Starbucks Workers United union began forming in 2021 and has over 10,500 members across more than 500 Starbucks locations across the United States. The union claims that baristas have been underpaid and overworked over the course of 2024, sparking outrage across the group. Yesterday, the union began a five-day strike in three major cities: Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle, aiming to disrupt the company's sales amid a busy Christmas season. Starbucks confirmed that the strike had a minor impact, though, with a mere 10 stores closed out of their over 16,000 stores across the United States. Back in February, Starbucks vowed to establish a new labor agreement by the end of this year, providing new benefits and raising wages for baristas. However, they have still not fulfilled that promise, angering union members. In addition, employees have filed numerous unfair labor practice charges against Starbucks in recent months, which will pose as a legal issue for the company. Since April, Starbucks has conducted nine different negotiation sessions and has come to around 30 agreements. Starbucks has stated that they are ready to resume negotiations over a new agreement, but they claim the union is failing to cooperate. They reported that Workers United ended a negotiation session early this week, preventing further talks from taking place. The union is primarily trying to raise wages for baristas, but Starbucks has not given any sort of serious proposal so far. Starbucks declared that the union aims to increase the minimum wage for hourly workers by 64%, effective immediately, and wants to further increase that to 77% over the next three years. However, the company argued that their average minimum wage is $18 an hour, and Starbucks claims that their benefits raise its worth to around $30 per hour for employees who work more than 20 hours a week. While negotiations are continuing between Starbucks and Workers United, there will still be marginal impacts across Los Angeles, Chicago, and Seattle as the strike continues through Christmas. However, it is unknown when the two groups will come to an agreement or when the strike will come to an end. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Chameleons do not blend in with their surroundings. Instead, they change color based on their mood or temperature-- neither of which have anything to do with what is around them. Quote of the Day: A bad workman quarrels with his tools. (Bengali Proverb) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Beatific (adj, pronounced bee-uh-TIFF-ik)- Beatific is a formal word that describes something or someone having a blissful appearance or showing complete happiness. In a Sentence: As the pair danced, beatific smiles on their faces, the audience sat hushed and almost reverential.

Officials have confirmed that Asia's dangerous murder hornets have been eradicated from the United States, a rare win in the battle against invasive species. The Asian giant hornet is the world's largest hornet, reaching up to 2 inches in length, and is also the world's most deadly. The insect can eliminate a honey bee nest in a matter of hours, giving them their nickname, the "murder hornet." Murder hornet stings are extremely painful due to the fact that they contain a potent neurotoxin known as mandaratoxin, and have been compared to being stabbed by a hot metal pin. In addition, the hornets can sting multiple times when aggravated, and their stingers are long enough to sting a person through a normal beekeeper suit. The insects are found across East Asia, including India, the Indochinese Peninsula, China, and Korea, and can be very deadly. Murder hornets came under the international spotlight after they killed 42 people and injured an additional 1,675 in China in 2013 alone. However, five years ago, murder hornets were spotted in the US state of Washington, and they were also found in Canada's nearby province of British Columbia. They are thought to have arrived via shipping containers or plants being transported across the Pacific, and quickly became a major concern. Using traps and tracking devices on the hornets, officials were able to discover and destroy four nests in 2020 and 2021, and no sightings of murder hornets have been reported since 2021 in both Washington and British Columbia. Then, this week, officials finally pronounced the hornets eradicated, which is a huge win in the everlasting battle against invasive species. Invasive species now cover the world, as animals can stowaway in anything that travels a long distance. Once they arrive at their new destination, many of these species thrive in their new habitat, often at the expense of the natural ecosystem. Many of the world's worst invasive species are plants and insects, as they are hard to catch and spread quickly. Insects like the spotted lanternfly and khapra beetle can have devastating impacts on their environment and can incur millions of dollars in damages when it comes to agriculture, while plants like kudzu can quickly overrun pristine forests and choke the ecosystem. Unfortunately, due to the fact that they spread rapidly, most efforts to fight invasive species are in vain, making the damage irreversible. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): India has the longest written constitution in the world, with 146,385 words in the English version. It is made up of 448 articles in 22 parts and 12 schedules, and is still growing as it is amended from time to time. Quote of the Day: Old friends are like gold . New friends are like diamonds. If you get a diamond, don’t forget the gold, because to hold a diamond in a ring, you always need a base of gold. (Unknown) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Requite (verb, pronounced rih-KWYTE)- To requite is to give or do something in return for something that another person has given or done, or for a benefit or service that has been provided. In a Sentence: Sam was worried that the feelings she’d expressed on her date were not requited , but was relieved and overjoyed to learn that they were.

An emergency plan to avoid a government shutdown has breezed through the French Parliament, but the United States isn't experiencing the same success with their bill. Every year, many governments are required by law to pass an annual budget which determines how much money they will spend over the next fiscal year. After France's previous Prime Minister Michel Barnier was ousted last week, the government quickly scrambled to find a solution, as Barnier's budget plan was also thrown out when he left office. A few days ago, French President Emmanuel Macron announced that the country's next Prime Minister as François Bayrou , a centrist ally of his. However, this left just days to draft and pass a budget bill before the government's December 21 deadline, after which a shutdown would occur-- in France's history, they have never undergone a government shutdown. Due to this, lawmakers rushed to pass a stopgap bill to prevent a shutdown from taking place, which would temporarily freeze the government, causing chaos. The new bill would allow the 2024 budget to, in a way, overflow into the beginning of 2025 until a new budget is passed by Bayrou's government, and it was unanimously passed by the French Senate yesterday after being approved by the National Assembly earlier this week. This comes at a time of severe financial need for France, who have been struggling with overspending and a large budget deficit. The country's current budget deficit is over 6% of their gross domestic product, and experts think that could rise to 7% as soon as next year. On the other hand, the United States did not experience the same success with their attempt at a stopgap bill. Unlike France, the US is relatively familiar with government shutdowns-- in fact, the country has had a shutdown several times, the most recent of which was in 2019. As 2018 carried into 2019 under former (and soon-to-be) President Donald Trump, the government was not able to pass a budget bill in time, sparking a 35-day shutdown that cost the government over $5 billion. In the United States, during a shutdown, all non-essential services are temporarily halted and hundreds of thousands of government employees are furloughed, or put on a temporary, unpaid leave. Essential services like military officers, law enforcement, air traffic controllers, and others are required to keep working without pay, which causes a host of problems across industries. Now, the US is at risk of another incident. After lawmakers came up with a last-minute bill to extend funding until March, it was withdrawn by Republicans yesterday after pushback from Trump and billionaire Elon Musk. The bipartisan bill was led by House Speaker Mike Johnson, who included many sections to appeal to Democrats. Johnson confirmed that they would need the support of Democrats to pass the bill, but Republicans began pushing back against his ideas. Trump told Johnson and other Republicans to amend the draft before it was passed, and he also denounced many of the Democratic-leaning elements that Johnson had included. In addition, Musk strongly rejected the bill on social media, driving House Republicans to take back the idea. Musk is set to lead the Department of Government Efficiency, or DOGE, along with Republican Vivek Ramaswamy, who echoed Musk's thoughts on the bill. House Democrats have angrily called out their GOP counterparts for withdrawing the bipartisan bill, which would have prevented a government shutdown. Now, Congress has just days to draft a new idea and pass the bill before the shutdown deadline at midnight on Saturday, which could heavily impact travel, among other things, across the country as schools close for the winter. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): While most people believe that camels store water in their humps, this is actually incorrect. The humps on their backs are stores of fat when they need to go for long periods of time without food. While camels can go on for over a week without water, that water is stored in their bloodstream, not their humps. Quote of the Day: Happiness is a mindset for your journey, not the result of your destination. (Shawn Achor) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Qualm (noun, pronounced KWAHM)- A qualm is a feeling of doubt or uncertainty about whether one is doing the right thing, or whether something is right or proper. Qualm is often used in its plural form, as in “I have no qualms with that decision.” In a Sentence: Elena’s parents had no qualms about her organizing a dinner party for her three closest friends.

At least 14 people are dead and hundreds of others are injured after a major earthquake struck the island nation of Vanuatu yesterday, sparking landslides, damaging buildings, and ripping apart roadways. Vanuatu is a small archipelago in the western Pacific Ocean that consists of around 83 islands and is home to around 330,000 people. Its islands are rich with biodiversity across their dense tropical rainforests, along with thin coastal plains and bright coral reefs on the coast, making it a hotspot for tourism. However, Vanuatu took a big hit after yesterday's devastating natural disaster. According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), the 7.3 magnitude earthquake struck around 18.6 miles west of the country's capital of Port Vila at a depth of around 35.4 miles. A tsunami warning was quickly announced for the entire area, sending citizens scrambling for higher ground, but the warning was later rescinded after it became clear that no tsunami was on the way. Numerous aftershocks were also reported, including several quakes with magnitudes upward of five. A state of emergency has been declared and a nightly curfew is currently in place from 6 pm to 6 am. The earthquake shook buildings, roads, and other settlements across the island, bringing widespread destruction to countless towns. Communications and electricity was wiped out across Efate Island, home to Port Vila, and a destructive landslide near the country's international shipping dock will hamper efforts to deliver aid. Many of the roadways around the port have also been ripped apart, preventing transportation to and from the area. Hospitals have been swarmed with patients after several buildings suffered severe damage or collapsed onto their first floors, including one building that contains the foreign embassies of the United States, United Kingdom, France, and New Zealand. Over 200 people were injured during the quake, and the death toll could rise as bodies are found underneath the rubble. Search-and-rescue efforts are already kicking into high gear-- army personnel are working with local volunteers to sift through the debris and search for survivors or bodies. Multiple people have been rescued from beneath rocks, concrete, and dirt, saving their lives, and hoarse calls for help have been heard underneath rubble in many areas. Many civilians were also trapped in their cars as the quake struck. However, communications across the region were taken down by the shaking, meaning that many officials have not been able to confirm details in more isolated areas that are farther from cities. Unfortunately, this earthquake is sure to have a major impact on Vanuatu, primarily due to its location. Vanuatu's position in the middle of the Pacific means that its two largest sources of business are tourism and exports, both of which may be heavily impacted by the quake. USGS estimated that the disaster could cause a net loss in gross domestic product (GDP) of between 1-10%. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): The small South Asian country of Bhutan is the most mountainous in the world-- mountains cover a staggering 98.8% of its total area. Quote of the Day: A diamond is a chunk of coal that did well under pressure. (Henry Kissinger) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Lexical (adj, pronounced LEK-sih-kul)- To describe something as lexical is to say that it is related to words or vocabulary. In a Sentence: A dictionary provides lexical information—it tells you what the word "cat" means, not all there is to know about cats.