Search The Website!

Germany has become the second European country in two weeks to experience a no confidence vote, sending the country into political turmoil. Just nine months before the country's parliamentary elections, the German Parliament voted against Chancellor Olaf Scholz's government yesterday in a major no confidence vote. The parliament voted 394-207 to restructure their existing government, with 116 members abstaining from the vote. In November, Scholz was forced to call for a confidence vote after his coalition in parliament fell apart, leaving him unable to pass country-wide bills. The upcoming snap elections will now take place on February 23, but the path will only get tougher from there. Due to the fact that there are seven primary parties in the German Parliament, the formation of a coalition between like-minded parties is needed to establish a majority, which could extend the restructuring of the government by several months. This comes at a tough time for Germany, who is struggling amid times of economic crisis. Voters are split over major issues like military support to Ukraine and the country's impending budget deadline, the latter of which will decide whether the government increases or restricts spending to get the economy moving again. Fears of Russia and Putin are also on the rise -- soon-to-be United States President Donald Trump has threatened to back out of NATO and Putin continually threatens the usage of nuclear weapons -- and Germany is divided over whether to provide additional support to Ukraine or fund the growth of their own military. Either way, Scholz is unlikely to maintain his position as the Chancellor, with the prime candidate expected to be Friedrich Merz, the leader of the Christian Democratic Union party, a conservative party with slightly different values than Scholz's more liberal Social Democratic party. It will be tough for the parties to agree on a coalition, though, as most of them have contrasting values or beliefs that may hinder Germany's process as they restructure their government in spring. However, the entire world is in deep political instability right now-- Germany is not the only country to be experiencing this type of issue. South Korea impeached their president last week, and France went through a no confidence vote two weeks ago. Syria's political future is uncertain after their civil war came to an end last week, and the United States is gearing up for a major switch of power as Donald Trump prepares to take the presidency with a fully Republican Congress. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Goldfish do not have a three-second memory-- their memory actually lasts around three months. Quote of the Day: Stress is the sandpaper of life, smoothing out our rough edges and revealing our inner strength. (Unknown) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Allusion (noun, pronounced uh-LOO-zhun)- An allusion is a reference to something that avoids mentio ning the thing directly. Allusion may also describe the use of such a statement or the act of alluding to something. In a Sentence: The lyrics contain biblical allusions .

Hundreds of people are feared to be dead after Cyclone Chido pummeled the French island of Mayotte recently, and the storm has made landfall in the East African country of Mozambique. Chido began as a tropical storm in the western Indian Ocean around a week ago, moving west at a steady pace. However, it rapidly strengthened along the way, increasing wind speeds from 45 mph to 140 mph in a mere two days. Last week, it made landfall on the Agálega Islands, a group of two islands controlled by Mauritius, with raging winds, but did minor damage due to the islands' small population of around 330 people. The cyclone maintained its strength as it approached the northern tip of Madagscar, brushing the region before moving into the northern Mozambique Channel. Then, winds brought it onto a southwest course, where it continued until reaching the French territory of Mayotte. Mayotte, a small archipelago between Mozambique and Madagascar, is France's poorest overseas territory, with over 75% of residents living under the French poverty line. The island has a population of around 321,000 people, but around one-third are unemployed, and weak infrastructure, a struggling economy, and gang violence has crippled the island in recent years. Unfortunately, Chido did not help those issues, bringing dangerous winds of over 130 mph and heavy rain to the archipelago. Buildings were blown off their foundations and trees were easily brought down by the ferocious winds, and the extreme flooding washed away debris, people, and animals. Chido is the strongest storm to impact the island in over 90 years. Search-and-rescue teams are working with volunteers to attempt to find any survivors, and they have confirmed a preliminary death toll of 11 people. However, officials have stated that the toll is projected to skyrocket in the coming days, expected to easily pass 100 and even 1,000. They do not expect to confirm an accurate death toll, though, for several reasons. Officials estimate that Mayotte is home to around 100,000 illegal immigrants, primarily from the nearby archipelago of Comoros. Comoros, similar to Mayotte, is struggling economically, and is one of the poorest countries in the world. This motivates residents to sail to Mayotte illegally, where they find a job and live secretly in the island's thick forests. Due to this, officials believe that many residents living in secret groups may not even ask for assistance out of fear that they will be arrested, leading to many deaths being left out. In addition, 97% of Mayotte's population identifies as Muslim, which also hampers officials' prospects of establishing an accurate death toll. The Muslim faith believes that dead bodies should be buried as quickly as possible, preferably within 24 hours of the death. Because of this, officials know that by the time they reach some of the more secluded areas, many of the dead will already have been buried, preventing them from confirming an accurate count. The nearby French island of Reúnion has sent aid by air and sea, and locals are working hard to save as many survivors as they can. Thousands of people were also injured during the cyclone, hundreds of which are critical condition. Additional aid and supplies have been sent to restore the island's supply of electricity and water, which has been dysfunctional since the storm hit. Officials are working to restore access to clean water as fast as possible, as cyclones like this often lead to large pools of dirty water that can lead to outbreaks of cholera and malaria. Unfortunately, after Mayotte, Chido continued across the channel into northern Mozambique, where it arrived yesterday with raging winds of 115 mph. Houses and homes have already been devastated by its effects, as the cyclone slammed into the country's fourth-most populous province, Cabo Delgado, which has a population of over 2.3 million. The death toll currently stands at three, but it is also expected to steeply rise in the coming days as the true impact of the storm is revealed. Upcoming Events: International Migrants Day (Wednesday, December 18) Arabic Language Day (Wednesday, December 18) International Human Solidarity Day (Friday, December 20) Winter Solstice (Saturday, December 21) World Basketball Day (Saturday, December 21) World Meditation Day (Saturday, December 21) Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Bosnia and Herzegovina have the tallest people in the world, with the average male citizen having a height of around 183.9 cm (72.4 in). This is primarily attributed to the country's Dinaric Alps region, which has the tallest people in the world-- male citizens in the Dinaric Alps have an average height of 185.6 cm (73.1 in). Quote of the Day: Worry is like sand in an oyster: a little produces a pearl, too much kills the animal. (Marcelene Cox) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Cavalier (adj, pronounced kav-uh-LEER)- Someone described as cavalier shows no concern for important or serious matters. Cavalier also describes attitudes, manners, etc., that show the same lack of concern. In a Sentence: The company provides regular training about the dangers of being cavalier in sharing privileged information.

South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol was impeached yesterday after his brief declaration of martial law around two weeks ago, crushing the public's already-weak support of him. On December 3, the president announced that he was imposing military rule upon the country due to suspicious activities by his opposition that were reportedly connected to North Korea. This sparked outrage among citizens of South Korea and startled officials around the world, who were stunned by his declaration. Lawmakers rushed to the parliament building and quickly made a unanimous decision to repeal the martial law, quelling the hours of protests that had taken place in the hours following Yoon's announcement. Read more on the initial episode here . Yoon's approval ratings were already extremely low prior to the incident, and his declaration brought those ratings even lower. His chief of staff and at least 10 other secretaries resigned from their positions, but Yoon refused to step down. Opposition parties threatened to begin the impeachment process if he did not resign immediately, and he called their bluff. However, that decision went wrong for Yoon, and he was impeached yesterday in a 204-85 vote by the National Assembly. The impeachment is the second time in the last eight years that a South Korean president has been ejected from office, as former President Park Geun-Hye was impeached in 2016 following political scandals regarding her connection to corruption. The staggering loss also shows how even members of his own party have lost faith in him, and Yoon's presidential powers have been revoked. Meanwhile, the presidency has been temporarily transferred to Han Duck-soo, South Korea's current Prime Minister. Han will serve as interim president for at least two months, as the political process after impeachment is quite long. The country's Constitutional Court now has up to 180 days to verify the National Assembly's decision, and they can vote to either continue with the impeachment or keep Yoon in office. If they choose to impeach him, South Korea will need to hold elections in the following 60 days in order to appoint a new president. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): A group of pigs is called a drift or a drove. Quote of the Day: It’s so easy to laugh . It’s so easy to hate. It takes guts to be gentle and kind. (Steven Morriseey) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Venerate (verb, pronounced VEN-uh-rayt)- To venerate someone or something is to feel or show deep respect for them because they are considered great, holy, etc. In a Sentence: Her best-selling trilogy led to her becoming a writer venerated by generations of admirers.

After several requests from Your News Hub members, we have added a new part of the Word of the Day that includes the phonetic pronunciation of the word. French President Emmanuel Macron has named the country's new Prime Minister as François Bayrou, a centrist friend of Macron's who will hope to restore political unity to the country. Last week, France's National Assembly banded together to pass a no-confidence vote against Prime Minister Michel Barnier, ousting him from his position. Barnier just received the position in September, but France's currently disjointed government ended up voting against him. Back in the summer, Macron called for snap parliamentary elections to reinforce the support for his party. However, that plan seriously backfired, and no party won the majority in the National Assembly, leaving the left-wing New Popular Front party, the far-right National Rally party, and Macron's centrist Renaissance party at a stalemate. However, as a key budget deadline approached on December 21, National Rally leader Marine Le Pen began to denounce Barnier's handling of France's government, echoing the thoughts of many French officials. This caused severe stirring among the National Assembly, who later decided for Barnier and the rest of his Cabinet to be ousted by a staggering 43 votes above the required threshold of 288 votes. This makes Barnier's term as prime minister the shortest in French history-- a mere three months. This left a political void in the French government, making it temporarily dysfunctional. Barnier guaranteed the public that there would be chaos in his wake, as the government needs to pass the budget bill in one week's time. Other lawmakers have suggested extending the deadline until January 1, which would give them some extra time to complete the process. Macron confirmed that the proposition for the extension of the deadline would be entered into parliament later this month, preventing a government shutdown. While many experts believe that France is in serious debt and is struggling financially, officials have stated that much of their debt is not due for years and they still have backup plans in place to ensure that a debt crisis does not occur. However, it is clear that they are in serious debt: their budget deficit is now over 6% of their gross domestic product, and experts think that could rise to 7% as soon as next year. The no-confidence vote also prevents new legislative elections from taking place until July, meaning that France will have to deal with a National Assembly with no majority for the first half of 2025. In addition, Macron had to pick another person worthy of the position as his prime minister this week. Bayrou, a 73-year-old man, has lots of experience in the political field and maintains similar centrist views to Macron, making him a prime choice. Bayrou began as France's education minister from 1993 to 1997, making him a known figure in French politics. Bayrou is also the leader and founder of the Democratic Movement, a party similar to Macron's, and was a presidential candidate in 2002, 2007, and 2012. Lastly, he was a candidate for prime minister under several presidents, but was never chosen, and strongly supported Macron and his centrist views when Macron was first elected in 2017. He will need to choose new ministers in the coming days, but he has some serious challenges ahead of him. Due to the party's centrist position, they will need to appeal to lawmakers on both the left and right-wing sides, making it even tougher for Bayrou's new government. He has already admitted that bringing France's government back to a unified, cooperative state will be tough, but he hopes to achieve that as soon as possible. In addition, if he fails to make significant progress in the next few weeks, he could be ousted in another no-confidence vote, which would bring Macron's already struggling party to new lows. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Inmates produce United States license plates in prison. In fact, prison labor has included license plate manufacturing for over 100 years, and it still continues today in many states. Quote of the Day: Take the first step in faith. You don’t have to see the whole staircase, just take the first step. (Martin Luther King Jr.) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Immense (adj, pronounced ih-MENSS)- Something described as immense is very great in size, degree, or amount. In a Sentence: They inherited an immense fortune.

The European Union has confirmed that they will allow Romania and Bulgaria to become full members of the Schengen area following the lifting of land border restrictions imposed earlier this year. The Schengen area began as an intergovernmental project in 1985 involving just five countries that were part of the European Union-- France, Germany, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. The project aimed to create a group with no land border controls, allowing citizens of member countries to freely travel between borders without having to undergo checks or extensive screening. The project quickly expanded, and it now contains all EU member countries except Ireland and the United Kingdom and all members of the European Free Trade Association (EFTA). EFTA consists of four countries: Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland. Now, over 420 million people live in the Schengen area. On December 30, 2023, the Schengen Council decided to lift air and sea border restrictions on Bulgaria and Romania, bringing them one step closer to membership. Those controls were officially lifted on March 31, 2024, but internal land border controls were still in place. Several countries, including Austria, were concerned over illegal immigration in the two countries, as migrants coming in illegally would be able to access all of Europe if not caught at the border. Internal land border controls can only be lifted after a unanimous decision by the Schengen Council, meaning that Bulgaria and Romania would not be able to join the area unless they worked more towards halting illegal immigration. Those restrictions were lifted yesterday, though, after the Council finally approved their full membership. This means that beginning on January 1, 2025, land border controls between Schengen countries and Bulgaria and Romania will cease to exist, guaranteeing Bulgaria and Romania full membership into the Schengen area. This will benefit both countries in many ways, including tourism, culture, and improved security. Foreign nationals living in or visiting the European Union as tourists, exchange students or for business purposes can travel through the Schengen countries without waiting to go through border controls, allowing tourists and people of different cultures to pass between borders easily. It also allows businesses to thrive across countries, benefiting from an economical perspective. In fact, the Bulgarian Academy of Sciences calculated in a recent study that with full membership in the Schengen area, Bulgaria could end up with a positive financial effect of over $840 million per year. In addition, the Schengen area allows for increased communication between police forces and cross-border surveillance of suspects, preventing criminals from escaping into a nearby country to get away from local law enforcement. They also utilize the Schengen Information System, or SIS, which allows officials across the EU to manage alerts regarding wanted or missing people and objects. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Everyone has seen rainbows, but have you ever seen an upside-down rainbow? An upside-down rainbow is an extremely rare phenomenon caused by sunlight shining through a thin, visible screen of tiny ice crystals high in the sky. Interestingly enough, it has nothing to do with rain, unlike regular rainbows. Some people refer to this as a 'smile rainbow.' Quote of the Day: Patience isn’t simply waiting, it is caring enough about the situation and those involved to remain calm and courteous throughout the wait. (Richelle Goodrich) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Pastiche (noun)- Pastiche refers to something (such as a piece of writing, music, etc.) that imitates the style of someone or something else. It can also refer t o a work that is made up of selections from multiple other works, or it can be used as a synonym of hodgepodge . In a Sentence: The director’s new murder mystery is a clever pastiche of the 1950s noir films she watched as a girl.

The proposed merger between US grocery stores Kroger and Albertsons has gone awry for both sides, and Albertsons has filed a lawsuit against Kroger asking for billions of dollars in fees. Kroger is one of the big three supermarkets in the United States, along with Walmart and Costco, with almost 2,800 stores across 35 states and the District of Columbia. Kroger operates many of these stores under other brand names of their subsidiaries, such as Fred Meyer, Ralphs, King Soopers, and Dillons. Kroger is primarily located in the eastern portion of the country, headquartered in Cincinnati, Ohio, and most of their stores are located in the Midwest and Southeast. Meanwhile, Albertsons is also one of the top 10 grocery store chains in the US, operating around 2,200 stores under the names Safeway, Vons, Jewel-Osco, and more. Albertsons stores are primarily located in the western half of the country, as well as the New England region, and the company is headquartered in Boise, Idaho. In 2022, Kroger and Albertsons began talks over a possible merger, allowing them to increase competition against giants like Walmart and Amazon. Walmart is the world's largest company by revenue, with a staggering $648 billion in revenue in 2024, and they currently hold around 22% of the grocery store market share in the United States. They found the deal to be profitable for both sides, and continued through with the idea. The logistics included selling 579 stores in states where their presences overlapped to C&S Wholesale Grocers, which owns the Piggly Wiggly and Grand Union supermarkets. As the idea came together, it was confirmed to be the country's largest-ever merger in the grocery store business, but they faced some legal issues, first. The Federal Trade Commission, or FTC, manages all antitrust and consumer protection laws. The FTC instantly saw the possible downsides of the merger and sued, calling on a US District Court Judge to block the deal until an administrative judge at the FTC could consider it. Numerous states also backed this bid, as the merger could severely affect consumers in those states. After a three-week hearing, the judge voted to temporarily block the deal with a preliminary injunction, and another judge in Washington voted to permanently block the merger due to a violation of consumer protection laws. Consumer protection laws prevent businesses from engaging in unfair or deceptive practices, including fraud and unethical business practices. The Washington judge pointed out the thoughts of the FTC in his ruling, claiming that the merger would result in increased prices for consumers due to the lack of sufficient competition. While Kroger promised to invest into lower prices, the district judge stated that promises could be easily broken, as companies always put shareholders above consumers. This would mean that the merger could end up causing extreme distress for already-struggling American consumers amid high inflation. The case was planned to head to the FTC and the companies were allowed to appeal the decisions, but it became clear that the costs were too high. Pursuing a massive deal like this is extremely expensive, and appealing would waste more time and money. Due to this, Albertsons pulled out of the deal on Wednesday, which came as a surprise to many, leading to the eventual collapse of the companies' relations. Soon after they pulled out, Albertsons announced that they were filing a lawsuit against Kroger, aiming to obtain $600 million as a termination fee for the deal and billions of dollars for the money spent on legal proceedings. Kroger refused to pay the demanded fees and confirmed that they were also pulling out of the deal. The FTC is still yet to review the merger, but it is now irrelevant to the matter at hand. After the decisions to block the deal by judges in lower courts, it collapsed after Albertsons pulled out, but many consumers and officials were relieved by the failure of the merger. Now, both companies will face an intense legal battle in court, but it could take months or even years for those proceedings to continue on. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Humpback whales use bubbles to catch prey. They create a bubble-net when hunting, forcing the fish to group together and move with the bubbles towards the surface. Quote of the Day: The best preparation for good work tomorrow is to do good work today. (Elbert Hubbard) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Sublimate (verb)- To sublimate something—such as an impulse, desire, or feeling—is to express it in a changed form that is socially acceptable. Sublimate can also mean "to pass directly from the solid to the vapor state." In a Sentence: Nora later came to understand that she had used painting to sublimate her anger.

The suspect in the killing of UnitedHealthcare's CEO has been arrested by police, and he has been identified as 26-year-old Luigi Mangione. Around one week ago, UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was fatally shot as he was entering the New York Hilton Midtown, with an attacker lying in wait for him in front of the building with a gun. The attack fired multiple times and then quickly walked away. Read more on the initial incident here . The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the New York Police Department (NYPD) instantly responded to the shooting, launching an intense search for the criminal and discovering clues along the way. The investigation uncovered dozens of pieces of evidence that led them to believe that the shooter had left New York City, expanding the search to other states along the East Coast. Read more on the investigation here . During the investigation, police had also found several pieces of evidence that gave clues to the identity of the suspect, including photos of him in a taxi and on the street. While he had a mask on in both pictures, they also posted a picture showing his entire face, which was crucial to the discovery of his identity. However, officials were also not able to trace the gun he had used, further complicating the mystery. For days, people called in hundreds of tips, and the police department was forced to follow up on each one. Of course, all of these tips were false, but the work finally became worth it when police responded to another tip in Altoona, Pennsylvania. An employee at a local McDonald's called in a tip saying that there was a man inside the restaurant who seemed to look like the suspect in the shooting, as seen from the photos posted by the FBI and NYPD. Police arrived to find the man sitting at a table in the back, where they asked him some questions over his identity. He held up an ID, but began shaking after further questioning. They pulled up the ID in their records and found that it was fake, forcing him to give his real name. He was then arrested and taken into custody. Luigi Mangione, the culprit, was an educated young man, growing up in Maryland and attending the Gilman School, a private all-boys school in Baltimore. He graduated as valedictorian in 2016, and also went on to graduate from the University of Pennsylvania, a prestigious Ivy League school, where he studied computer science. Mangione has been charged with second-degree murder, two counts of second-degree criminal possession of a weapon, one count of third-degree criminal possession of a firearm, and one count of second-degree possession of a forged document. He was later found to have a 3D-printed gun and silencer in his backpack, explaining the untraceability of the gun. Homemade guns are known as ghost guns, and have become a problem in recent years due to the fact that they do not have a serial number, therefore making them untraceable by law enforcement. They also discovered that the false ID he gave them, which was from New Jersey, matched the fake ID used to register at the hotel the shooter stayed at in New York, further connecting the dots for police. Lastly, police found a written declaration of his motives inside the backpack, revealing his true intentions during the shooting. The sheet explained his anger towards health insurance companies for putting profits over care, mentioning UnitedHealthcare by name. UnitedHealthcare denies more claims than any other health insurance company, a staggering one-third of all claims, building up frustration with the public against the company. While the company is very successful on paper --according to Forbes, UnitedHealthcare is currently the fourth-largest company in the United States by revenue -- people have criticized the company for constantly denying claims while the costs of health insurance rise, insisting that the company is only making large profits due to their low payout rate. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Due to a metal shortage during World War II, the Oscars were made of painted plaster for three years. Following the war, the Academy invited recipients to redeem the plaster figures for gold-plated metal ones. Quote of the Day: The future is not something we enter. The future is something we create. (Leonard Sweet) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Brogue (noun)- A brogue is a low s hoe, usually made of leather, that is decorated with small holes along the sides at the toe, and that usually features a wing tip. In a Sentence: Even though his brogues are scuffed and old, Dad prefers them to his new loafers.

Paris' Notre Dame has reopened after the world-famous cathedral's devastating fire in 2019, with dozens of world leaders attending the major event. The Notre Dame is one of the world's most iconic examples of Gothic architecture, completed in the year 1260 AD. It is located on the Île de la Cité, an island on the Seine River, which runs through the center of Paris, France. Back in 2019, the cathedral suffered a catastrophic fire that destroyed most of its wooden roof and a large portion of the upper walls. While the inside was protected by the stone roof that held up the burning section of the cathedral, its wooden spire had also collapsed during the fire. Soon after the fire, French President Emmanuel Macron declared for the Notre Dame to be restored within a five-year timeline, and donors from numerous industries, including fashion designers and banks, contributed almost $900 million to the restoration. One year later, investigators could not confirm a definitive cause for the fire, but attributed it to either a cigarette or a short circuit in the electrical system. Then, on Saturday, the Notre Dame succeeded in meeting its deadline, with the reopening ceremony taking place on Saturday. Over 2,000 people attended the event amid a fierce storm, preventing the formalities from taking place outside, as planned. Winds of over 40 mph and heavy rain hampered the celebrations of the cathedral's reopening, but it was still a major event. Along with the hundreds of French residents that attended, many world leaders and businesspeople also arrived for the commemoration, including Donald Trump, the United States' soon-to-be president; Elon Musk, the billionaire owner of Tesla and SpaceX; Volodymyr Zelenskyy, the President of Ukraine; Jill Biden, the First Lady of the United States; Prince William, Prince of Wales; Bernard Arnault, the billionaire owner of LVMH, and François-Henri Pinault, the billionaire owner of Kering. On Sunday, the Notre Dame celebrated its first Sunday Mass since the fire. The Mass was led by Paris Archbishop Laurent Ulrich, and he was accompanied by over 170 bishops from around the world, one priest from each of France's 106 parishes in the Diocese of Paris, and one priest from each of the seven Eastern Catholic Churches. The Mass also marked the consecration of the new altar, moving through a five-step process to declare the altar as sacred. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): A group of hedgehogs is called an array or a prickle. Quote of the Day: If you cry because the sun has gone out of your life, your tears will prevent you from seeing the stars. (Icelandic Proverb) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Fulgent (adj)- Fulgent is a formal, often poeti c word used to describe something that is dazzlingly bright. It is a synonym of radiant . In a Sentence: After a long, drizzly morning, a fulgent sun finally peeked out from behind the clouds.

Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad has fled the country after incursions by rebels, bringing an end to the country's fierce 13-year war. Just over one week ago, Syrian rebels launched an intense offensive near the major city of Aleppo, taking over the entire city. Read more on the initial attack here . None of the rebel groups had made any headway into the Syrian Arab Republic's territory since 2020 until the incursion, leaving the war in an inert state, but the takeover of aleppo has sparked a new fire within the rebel groups. Assad had managed to keep control of most of Syria with the help of Hezbollah, Iranian, and Russian forces, but the recent attack changed things. It took place at a strategically perfect time, as all of Assad's supporters are struggling. Russia has been heavily weakened by their war in Ukraine, making them unable to supply weapons or forces to Syria, and Hezbollah and Iran are battling Israel in the Middle East. After the rebels took control of Aleppo, the forces of both sides clashed for several weeks, but the rebels easily overpowered Assad's forces towards the end. The rebel forces continued forward, though, advancing down the M5 motorway which tracks down the country's western side. They took over the city of Hama along the way and then the major city of Homs, the latter of which has a population of around 1.5 million people. Then, yesterday, the rebels launched another incursion, this time into the country's capital of Damascus, where they quickly took control of the city with little opposition from Assad's forces. Assad quickly fled the country, with his officials stating that he had already spoken with the leaders of other rebel groups. He confirmed that he was leaving his position of president to the rebels, and departed for Russia, where Russian and Iranian authorities established that he has been granted political asylum. He also requested his government to peacefully transfer the power over to the rebels, which came as a surprise to global leaders. There are several rebel groups that were fighting against Assad's government, but the ones leading the incursions are just one: Hayʼat Tahrir ash-Sham. It has around 6,000 to 15,000 active members and is considered a terrorist organization by the United Nations. They were also previously affiliated with terrorist group al-Qaeda, who were responsible for the 9/11 attacks on New York City's Twin Towers in 2001. Hayʼat Tahrir ash-Sham has maintained control of the Idlib Province, in northwestern Syria, for years, and is led by former al-Qaeda member Abu Muhammad al-Jolani. The leader has maintained an authoritarian-type government in Idlib Province but seems to be attempting to organize Syria, rather than promote Jihadist values like his former organization. His forces have collected taxes and even issued identification cards in the province, giving Syrians hope of a stronger, more organized government in the future. However, it is still unknown as to whether he will choose a democratic or authoritarian government for the country, and whether he can even unite the people of Syria for his cause. On top of that, he will need to execute his plan quickly in order to prevent a power vacuum, which could lead to chaos in the coming months. Upcoming Events: International Day of Commemoration and Dignity of the Victims of the Crime of Genocide and of the Prevention of this Crime (Monday, December 9) International Anti-Corruption Day (Monday, December 9) Human Rights Day (Tuesday, December 10) International Mountain Day (Wednesday, December 11) International Day of Neutrality (Thursday, December 12) International Universal Health Coverage Day (Thursday, December 12) IWF World Weightlifting Championships End (Saturday, December 14) Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): The word "cookie" comes from the Dutch "koekjes," which came from the Dutch "koek," meaning "cake." Cookie was introduced to English in the very early 18th century, but it is thought that this term caught on more in the United States due to the strong Dutch heritage in early America. Quote of the Day: Focus is a matter of deciding what things you’re not going to do. (John Carmack) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Galvanize (verb)- To galvanize people is to cause them to be so excited or concerned about something that they are driven to action. In a Sentence: The council’s proposal to close the library has galvanized the town’s residents.

Several days after UnitedHealthcare CEO Brian Thompson was shot in New York City, his killer has still not been found. Here's a rundown of his suspected path before and after the shooting. Thompson was shot multiple times on Wednesday morning by a masked shooter clothed in black, with the incident taking place outside the New York Hilton Midtown. He was heading into the hotel for an annual investor conference for the UnitedHealth Group, which is the parent company of UnitedHealthcare. Read more about the initial shooting here . The gunman waited outside the hotel for around five minutes before firing at Thompson with what looks to be a silencer on his gun, but he quickly walked away before anyone could process what had happened. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and New York Police Department (NYPD) are on the case, and they are putting all of their manpower and resources into finding the criminal. Also, New York City is filled with cameras, helping officials track his path before and after the shooting. Here's the rundown: The shooter is suspected to have arrived in New York City last month on a bus from Atlanta. Detectives are contacting Greyhound, the bus service, to see exactly when and where he purchased the tickets for the bus. Investigators think he could have been staying in the HI New York City Hostel, which is located on Amsterdam Avenue in the Upper West Side. They also believe that he used a fake ID from New Jersey to check in at the hotel, further shrouding his identity. Hours before the shooting, footage from a camera in the Upper West Side shows him carrying a large object similar to a battery for an electric bicycle. The suspect, dressed in all-black clothes and a mask, stops at a Starbucks, purchasing two protein bars and a disposable water bottle. Just after his stop at Starbucks, the shooter waits in front of the New York Hilton Midtown before shooting Brian Thompson. The suspect fires at Thompson three times, leaving behind the 9-millimeter bullet casings from the shots. Investigators have found that the words "deny," "defend," and "depose" were written on them in permanent marker. The casings could partially reveal the motive of the killer, as some insurance companies, including UnitedHealthcare, are disliked by many people due to their common denials of claims. The casings could also give a clue to the shooter, as the government's advanced systems can identify if the gun was used in a previous crime based on the exact shape and markings of the casing. The gunman quickly leaves the scene of the shooting, crossing West 54th Street, where the hotel is located. He leaves a burner phone in an adjacent alleyway, and throws his water bottle and a wrapper for his protein bar in a nearby trash can. This burner phone could be useful to find who he contacted prior to the shooting, but officials have not been able to unlock it yet. Also, the wrapper and bottle are being analyzed for fingerprints or DNA, which could help identify the suspect. The suspect emerges onto West 55th Street, where he gets onto an electric Citi bike and rides northward on 6th Avenue, toward Central Park. He then enters the park through the small road known as Center Drive. The gunman leaves his backpack inside some bushes in the park, hiding it from view. Investigators found the backpack, hidden away, only to find that it was full of Monopoly money. They also found a jacket inside. He emerges from Central Park into the Upper West Side, around West 77th Street, still on his bicycle. The gunman gets into a taxi around the intersection of West 86th Street and Columbus Avenue, still in the Upper West Side. He is spotted getting out of a taxi at a Washington Port Authority bus stop on West 178th Street, between the George Washington and Alexander Hamilton Bridges of Interstate 95. By this time, the shooting is already 45 minutes in the past. The shooter is suspected to have left New York City on a Greyhound bus, which was likely headed back to Atlanta. Investigators are still yet to find the shooter's gun and bicycle, which are two crucial clues to discovering his identity and possible location. However, the FBI and NYPD are taking this case extremely seriously-- the FBI is offering a $50,000 reward to anyone with information on the identity or location of the suspect, and the NYPD is offering an additional $10,000. The NYPD has also deployed over 100 officers to investigate across Central Park, as well as a cluster of drones. Also, other companies have beefed up security around their CEOs, attempting to safeguard them from any other incidents that could be motivated by this one. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): African elephants actually have the strongest sense of smell of any animal. Their nose has over 2,000 olfactory receptors-- over twice as many as dogs have and over five times as many as humans have. In fact, their sense of smell is so good that they can even identify quantities with it! Quote of the Day: Kindness is the language which the deaf can hear and the blind can see. (Mark Twain) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Misbegotten (adj)- Misbegotten describes things that are badly planned or thought out. In a Sentence: They were sent on a misbegotten diplomatic mission that was sure to fail.