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There isn't too much news today, so let's get to it. The death toll for the Turkey-Syria earthquake has now reached over 36,000, and rescue crews are still rushing to help any other victims escape from the rubble. However, Syria's lasting civil war has complicated rescue/aid efforts, since most of the area where the quake struck is controlled by rebel groups. Lastly, New Zealand: Watch out! Cyclone Gabrielle is moving in, with strong winds, heavy rain, and massive waves heading toward the north island. Over 60,000 people are already without power, and huge damage is expected. Experts say that this is the worst tropical cyclone to hit the area since the 1990s! Most schools and government offices are temporarily closed to protect themselves from the cyclone.

There isn't much news today, so let's get started. We start today's news with some freezing temps! The northeast US is preparing for a huge blast of frigid air, with wind chills dipping below 50 degrees Fº below zero. Areas of Vermont, New Hampshire, Maine, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, and New Jersey are under severe wind chill alerts, as wind chills like this can cause frostbite in less than ten minutes! Lastly, we talk about a proposed tobacco ban in the US. A new study shows that most US adults are against tobacco, and they think it should be banned. This follows a proposed ban on menthol cigarettes and flavored cigars by the FDA. Menthol is the last flavor allowed in cigarettes, making it more addictive and it increases the impact of nicotine on the brain. After this new study, it shows that most of the population wants to ban tobacco altogether, but most people think that will never happen, as the US economy is heavily reliant on tobacco as a cash crop, especially the Southeast in states like Georgia, North Carolina, Kentucky, and Tennessee.

Recently, tensions between the Iran-Afghan border have been escalating, with a conflict today over water rights proving deadly. The Iranian army and the Taliban exchanged heavy fire at the border, killing three people and injuring multiple others. However, it is still unknown how this conflict may be resolved in the future. On another note, the huge insurance company of StateFarm will no longer offer insurance to new homes in California, due to raised concerns over wildfire risk. This is a big nuisance for many Californians, but it may also be a big blow to StateFarm, since many people will then move to other insurance companies.

Super Typhoon Mawar is going to strike again, this time hitting the Philippines and Taiwan. It is expected to brush by the Philippines on May 29-30 with strong winds of up to 130 mph, and then it will curve up and graze Taiwan with less dangerous winds of about 80 mph. Thankfully, it is weakening, after hitting the US territory of Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands with sustained winds of up to 160 mph and 25-foot storm surge. In fact, after pummeling them, it eventually reached peak winds of 185 mph, even getting into the top ten most powerful on global record. On another note, if you are a Formula 1 fan, check out the new podcast by Adit Kakkad and Patrick Martinez: The Gridwatch Podcast, sponsored by The Weekly News. Listen to it here!

TWN members, we are still trying to sort out some persisting issues with our system, so our daily update for Wednesday, May 24 did not come out as scheduled. However, it is out now, and we are working hard to fix these problems as fast as possible to resume providing you with the news you need, when you need it. Now, let's get into today's news. A new study shows that Saturn's massive, iconic rings are slowly disappearing! Recent research has shown that the rings are very young by geologic time standards, and they likely formed during the Mesozoic Era (the era of the dinosaurs). However, they still have quite some time left, about 100 million years. New evidence also shows that the thin rings of Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune may have once been the size of Saturn's, and that when Saturn's rings deteriorate, they may become like the other gas giants'. On another note, environmentalists have just received a huge blow from the United States Supreme Court. In a new ruling, they voted 5-4 that property rights are more important that clean water and the safety of US wetlands and marshes. It has been scientifically proven that marshes and wetlands actually help improve water quality. However, according to the ruling, the EPA's Clean Water Act only applies to bodies of water that are directly connected to official "waters of the United States," so other areas which are not connected can be developed on. This new ruling allows for over 90 million acres of wetlands and marshes to be privately owned, which is massive setback to environmentalists around the country.

Sadly, today is the one-year anniversary of the terrible Uvalde school shooting in Texas that killed 21 people on this day in 2022, so let's take a moment of silence to honor all of the children, faculty, and staff of Robb Elementary School who were ruthlessly killed that day. Now, let's get into today's news. The monster Super Typhoon Mawar officially made landfall in the US island territory of Guam at 5 pm local time, bringing 25-foot storm surge, heavy rain, and sustained winds of up to 160 mph. The island passed right through the eyewall, the strongest part of the storm, doing serious damage to Guam. The hurricane's winds momentarily dropped to about 140 mph when it was passing over Guam, but it then restrengthened afterwards and is now cruising over the Philippine Sea. Thankfully, it is expected to start weakening before it hits the Philippines and Taiwan. Meanwhile, rescue and clean up efforts are now kicking into high gear back in Guam and the Northern Mariana Islands to help any people that may be trapped under rubble or mud. On another note, the 'Queen of Rock n' Roll' has sadly passed away. Tina Turner, who was 83, died in her home in Küsnacht, Switzerland, which is located near the city of Zurich. She seems to have died of her many illnesses, having been confirmed with intestinal cancer, kidney failure, high blood pressure, and she even had a stroke in 2013. However, Tina Turner may have passed on, but she will always be remembered through her music.

TWN Readers, there may have been a slight glitch in our system yesterday, so please ignore any email you receive from us that includes a subject line of BLOG APE. We are unsure about what caused this problem and are working towards fixing it. In case you did not receive our Daily Update email yesterday, due to the glitch, you can read it here. Anyway, let's get into today's news. Right now, a monster typhoon is barreling towards the US territory of Guam, with string winds of up to 160 mph and 25-foot storm surge. Super Typhoon Mawar is expected to hit the island on Wednesday night into Thursday morning US time, and it will be deadly. The winds are bringing massive waves with it, so all citizens have been warned to evacuate low-lying areas. Residents of Guam, good luck, and stay safe. On another note, if you live near Mexico City, you may want to evacuate or take shelter in a nearby town. The famed, massive volcano near the city, Popocatépetl, has been spewing out ash and smoke recently, and tremors have also been reported across the metropolitan area. Over 25 million people live within a 6o-mile radius of the volcano, so it could be a serious threat to the entire area. Popocatépetl last erupted in 1994, but tremors have been common in Mexico City since the eruption. However, the ash and smoke could be a sign that it could erupt again soon. Lastly, 19 people are dead after a huge fire in the South American country of Guyana. The fire took place at a school, specifically the girls' dormitory. The local police reported that one student became furious after their phone was confiscated, so they torched the dorm. The student has not been identified, however, but police are working hard to find anyone that may be alive under the rubble and to find out the identity of the arsonist.

Today, another SpaceX rocket launched for the International Space Station (ISS), this time bringing a former NASA astronaut and three customers with it. Peggy Whitson of NASA was on board, along with three paying customers of SpaceX: Saudi Arabian stem cell researcher Rayyanah Barnawi, Saudi Arabian fighter pilot Ali AlQarni, and American telecom billionaire and founder of hardware company Dura-Line Corp, John Shoffner. On another note, firefighters in the Philippines spent seven hours today battling a huge fire at the Manila Central Post Office. The building, built in 1926, erupted in thick smoke and large flames today, but the cause has not yet been determined. However, officials have still not dismissed the possibility of a gas leak, electrical failure, or even arson.

Today, Brooks Koepka officially won the PGA Championship, winning it for the third time and also getting $15 million as a prize. The next big golf competition is the US Open (June 15-18), and it will be held in the Los Angeles Country Club. On another note, the heavy rains in northeastern Italy have finally stopped, allowing rescue teams to finally kick their efforts into high gear. 13 people have been confirmed dead so far, but hundreds more are missing. Entire houses and streets have been wiped away by landslides, and any remaining structures are stuck in up to two feet of water. Farmland has also been destroyed, so the European Union is now deploying emergency equipment to help.

To all of our monotheistic readers, happy Jerusalem Day! This disputed city in the Middle East is a very important place to Christians, Jews, and Muslims. Anyway, let's get into today's news. So far, 13 people have been reported dead and hundreds of others are missing as massive flooding continues to batter northeastern Italy, specifically the Emilia-Romagna region. Over two feet of rain has fallen in some areas, burying entire towns in mud and water. However, many centers around the world are donating to help this cause, such as the board of the racing sport, Formula 1 (since F1 was supposed to have a race in the region on Sunday). On the other hand, a drought is parching western Spain, sparking multiple wildfires that have done serious damage to the region. Air quality has plummeted and hundreds of people have been forced to evacuate as the fires burn through the area, and the places which are not receiving rain are experiencing severe heat and arid conditions.