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Contents: Kia Recalls Over 425,000 Telluride SUVs Heavy Duty Equipment Arrives in Baltimore to Remove Bridge Wreckage Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day Kia has recalled over 425,000 Tellurides after a roll-away issue while the vehicle is in park. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) reported that the metal rods connecting the engine and transmission to the wheels in 2020-2023 Kia Telluride models can become damaged over time, leading to the car unintentionally moving while in park, which could lead to an accident. Owners of any Telluride models made between these years should visit their nearest Kia dealership to get the issue fixed, and Kia will reimburse them for the repair. On another note, cranes and crews have arrived in Baltimore, and they are now beginning the complex issue of removing the numerous steel beams criss-crossing the Patapsco River after a cargo ship smashed into the Francis Scott Key Bridge earlier this week. Of the eight construction workers on the bridge, two were initially rescued, and two of the remaining six missing workers that were on the bridge at the time of collapse have been found dead, but the other four remain 'presumed dead' as the bodies have not been found. However, divers cannot go into the river to search for the remaining bodies because of the dangerous steel beams strewn across the river. Four heavy lift cranes, ten tugboats, nine barges, eight salvage vessels, and five Coast Guard boats have come to Baltimore to remove the wreckage of the bridge as fast as possible, as it is blocking access to the city's main port area. President Joe Biden approved a $60 million immediate aid package to help the dire situation, as the Port of Baltimore is the nation's 17th largest port (as of 2021). It creates 15,000 jobs and is the number one port in the United States for automobile imports. It is also a major port for coal and soybeans, but thankfully, it is not one of the nation's largest ports. There will still be a sizable impact on the world economy, but not too big. Crews are racing to get the debris out of the way as soon as possible for the port to quickly resume operations. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Anyone 15 and up can be put in jail for cheating on a final exam in Bangladesh. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Lack of time is actually lack of priorities. (Tim Ferriss) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Braggadocio (noun)- Braggadocio refers to brash and self-confident boasting—that is, the annoying or exaggerated talk of someone who is trying to sound very proud or brave. In a Sentence: His braggadocio hid the fact that he felt personally inadequate.

Contents: 45 Dead After Bus Plummets into Ravine in South Africa, 8-Year-Old Survives Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day At least 45 people are dead after a bus full of Christian worshippers celebrating Easter plummeted off of a bridge in South Africa yesterday, with an 8-year-old girl being confirmed as the only survivor. The bus is believed to have been traveling from Botswana to the South African town of Moria, a popular religious pilgrimage around Easter, when the driver lost control on the Mmamatlakala bridge, leading to a plunge of 165 feet into a ravine. The bus smashed into the ground and exploded into flames, which is why officials have been struggling to identify the victims. The government has launched an investigation into the incident, and they expect to find more information in the coming days. This is provoking more protests against South Africa's road system, including outcries over the country's more than 12,400 road deaths each year due to poor road safety and the failure to enforce important traffic laws. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Potatoes from Poland were officially banned in Britain in 2004 following a potato disease outbreak, and the law still stands today. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground. (Unknown) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Flout (verb)- To flout something, such as a law or rule, is to treat it with contemptuous disregard. A teenager flouting a curfew, for example, will not hide the fact that they are out past the time they are required to be home. In a Sentence: The court found that the company had continued to flout the law despite multiple warnings.

Contents: 17 Dead After Israel, Lebanese Militants Exchange Airstrikes Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day Violence on the Israel-Lebanon border has intensified once again, with the latest breakout leading to 16 Lebanese deaths and one Israeli death. Multiple Israeli airstrikes were launched towards sites in Lebanon, primarily targeted at bases of the Islamic Group, a Sunni organization who have partnered with Hezbollah, another militant organization battling against Israel. Retaliation strikes were launched back at Israel, which caused the death of one Israeli. This comes as Israel and Hamas continue with their war in Gaza, and these Islamic militant groups are attempting to show their support for Gaza by fighting against Israel. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Stepping on Thai currency is illegal in Thailand-- it has the royal family on it, and defacing any image of the Thai royal family has been illegal since 1908. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Once you make a decision, the universe conspires to make it happen. (Ralph Waldo Emerson) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Auxiliary (adj)- In general use, auxiliary describes someone or something available to provide extra help, power, etc., when it is needed. In linguistics, an auxiliary verb (also called a “helping verb”) is used with another verb to do things like show a verb’s tense or form a question. In nautical contexts, auxiliary can describe a sailboat equipped with a supplementary inboard engine, or a vessel that provides supplementary assistance to other ships. In a Sentence: The auditorium has an auxiliary cooling system used only on particularly sweltering days.

Contents: Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge Goes Down After Ship Crashes into Support Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day Baltimore's Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed early on Tuesday morning after a strong impact from a container ship, and six construction workers have been presumed dead. Maryland Governor Wes Moore declared a state of emergency after the incident, as that bridge is a crucial part of Interstate 695, which is known as the Baltimore Beltway. Chaos later ensued as roads came to a halt when citizens of Baltimore attempted to bypass the bridge, and the entire section of I-695 has been shut down, as the entire bridge has fallen into the Patapsco River. In total, the entire bridge was about 1.6 miles long and four lanes wide, and its construction was finished in 1977, making it a fairly old bridge. Six construction workers were reportedly fixing potholes on the bridge at around 1:30 am when a 985-foot ship, named The Dali, lost all engine power shortly after leaving the Baltimore port, just half an hour into its journey towards Colombo, Sri Lanka. It sent out a mayday call, but it is still unknown why the construction crew on the bridge did not move off of the bridge upon hearing that call. The ship lost control and was not able to turn, leading to its crash into one of the central piers of the bridge. The piers are the main supports of the bridge, and if one falls, the entire bridge goes down. Within 30 seconds of the impact from the ship, the entire central section of the bridge had fallen into the river, showing how fast steel bridges can crumple when their supports are taken out. Normally, these piers have deflectors, widely known as fenders, to protect the supports from any possible impacts from a ship, but this bridge did not seem to have that protection. Engineers are looking into the lack of protective barriers for the piers, and any that may have been in place were certainly not strong enough to stop a large ship like The Dali. Amid these concerns over the bridge's questionable structural integrity, officials are conducting a full-scale investigation into the collapse. Unfortunately, the Coast Guard has ended their 18-hour search-and-rescue operation for the workers that fell into the water, as they would have found the workers by now if they were still alive. Also, the horrible searching conditions did not help-- thick fog covered the area and there were metal structures teetering above the water, making conditions unsafe for rescuers. Due to this, they have sadly been presumed dead. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): High heels are banned in some historical parts of Greece, as it can damage the ancient sites. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Don’t spend a dollar’s worth of time on a ten-cent decision. (Peter Turly) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Kismet (noun)- Kismet refers to a power that is believed to control what happens in the future. It is synonymous with both fate and destiny. In a Sentence: From the moment we met, we felt connected; we knew it was kismet.

Contents: Florida Governor Bans Usage of Social Media for Children Under 14 Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day Florida Governor Ron DeSantis has officially banned the use of social media for children under 14, which is a sweeping new law that could change the lives of millions of tweens and teens across the state. The new law states that the use of social media, such as Snapchat or Instagram, is completely banned for kids 13 and under, and 14 to 15-year-olds need parental consent to create an account. Social media companies are required to delete any accounts that they believe belong to underage users, and the apps must ask for parental consent if the user is between 14 and 15. DeSantis stated that this new law would help teens get out of their devices and allow their parents to have greater control over their online life, limiting the mental damage that social media can do. However, there will surely be backlash against this from the community, and lawsuits may be filed that could nullify the law, such as what happened in Arkansas and Ohio-- judges blocked laws that limited the usage of social media and increased privacy settings to minors. Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): Denmark has a Law on Personal Names, meaning that parents have to choose their child's name from a pre-approved list of 7,000 names. If you want to choose a different name, government approval is required. Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): Life, if well lived, is long enough. (Seneca) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Genuflect (verb)- To genuflect is to kneel, or nearly kneel, on one knee and then rise again in worship or as an act of respect. In figurative use, genuflect means "to be humbly obedient or respectful." In a Sentence: Churchgoers genuflected before the altar.

Contents: Geomagnetic Storm Set to Impact Communications Today Upcoming Events Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day A severe geomagnetic storm is on the way, and it could disrupt some communications across Earth. The Sun has a magnetic cycle, and every 11 years its poles switch places. It is now in the most active part of that cycle, a phase called the solar maximum. In this phase, solar storms can happen multiple times per year, while during the solar minimum, there are solar storms about every few years. A G4 strength (the scale goes from 1-5) solar flare is planned to hit Earth's magnetic field today, leading to some disrupted high frequency radio transmissions, which are normally long range transmissions used by aircraft or exploration vehicles. Space tracking may be impacted as well, but there is a good part to it. People living at higher latitudes like Canada or Norway could get the chance to view some striking auroras overnight if the weather permits, and the strength of the storm could allow people at lower latitudes as far south as Washington DC to see the lights in the sky. Upcoming Events: International Day of Remembrance of the Victims of Slavery and the Transatlantic Slave Trade (Monday, March 25) International Day of Solidarity with Detained and Missing Staff Members (Monday, March 25) Ash Wednesday (Wednesday, March 27) Major League Baseball Opening Day (Thursday, March 28) Holy Thursday (Thursday, March 28) Good Friday (Friday, March 29) International Day of Zero Waste (Saturday, March 30) Easter (Sunday, March 31) Fact of the Day: Photography in and around airports is illegal in Kazakhstan. Quote of the Day: Time is a created thing. To say “I don’t have time” is to say “I don’t want to.” (Lao Tzu) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Pedantic (adj)- Pedantic describes someone or something that exhibits the characteristics of a pedant—that is, a person who often annoys other people by correcting small errors and giving too much attention to minor details. Pedantic also means “narrowly, stodgily, and often ostentatiously learned.” In a Sentence: Their habit of reminding fellow birders that the bird is called a “Canada goose” and not a “Canadian goose” came across as pedantic rather than helpful.

Contents: 133 Dead, Hundreds Injured After Moscow Concert Hall Shooting Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day At least 133 people are dead and hundreds of others are injured after a deadly shooting at a concert hall in Moscow, Russia. Prime Minister Vladimir Putin originally blamed Ukraine, but the Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS) later claimed full responsibility. The Crocus City Hall is a large hall that can accommodate over 6,200 people and is located in the western suburbs of Moscow, and the building was left in flames after gunmen burst in and fired at everyone in sight. Witnesses reported that they just came in and silently shot everyone they could see, and chaos ensued. No one could figure out whether they should run or hide, and the hall was set on fire afterwards as well. Russian police arrested four suspects following the incident, and the entire world has condemned the attack. This shooting comes just after Putin was elected for his fifth term after he promised safety to his people amid Russia's war against Ukraine, but that safety may be in question. Nevertheless, this is a deeply saddening incident that the entire world is mourning. Fact of the Day: It is illegal to feed pigeons in San Francisco. Quote of the Day: Never leave ’till tomorrow which you can do today. (Benjamin Franklin) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Megillah (noun)- Megillah is slang for a long, involved story or account. Megillah can also refer to a complicated sequence of events, or it can be used as a synonym of ball of wax meaning “everything involved in what is under consideration.” All three senses of megillah are often preceded by the adjective whole. In a Sentence: Don’t worry about reciting the whole megillah from last night’s game; just give me the highlights.

Contents: Dozens Dead, 17,000 Homeless, 33,000 Fleeing Haiti Capital Amid Gang Violence Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day Amid a huge escalation of gang violence in Port-au-Prince, thousands of people are fleeing the Haitian capital. Control over the city has slipped recently, leading to gangs taking over Port-au-Prince. They are breaking into homes and stealing whatever they can, and they are not being stopped by Haiti's National Police, an organization which is heavily understaffed with untrained officers. 17,000 people have been left homeless and over 33,000 people have fled the capital in search of refuge in other parts of the country, in fear that they could end up like other victims of gang violence-- losing everything or being killed. The gangs continue to swarm peaceful communities and pillage the entire area, killing dozens in the process. However, the rural towns of eastern Haiti do not have the capacities to handle the influx of citizens from Port-au-Prince, but they don't have any other choice. The gangs have taken over the entire city, shut down the international airport, burned down police stations, and released over 4,000 prisoners from Haiti's two major jails, making the city as dangerous as it can be right now. Prime Minister Ariel Henry is stuck outside the country, as he was on a diplomatic trip to Kenya to push for a UN-backed force to battle gangs in Haiti when the country's international airport closed and the violence broke out on February 29. Countries like the United States have been urging their people to avoid traveling to Haiti and have been evacuating any citizens currently in the country. Leaders of various Caribbean countries have been voting for a new leader for the island country, as Henry has announced that he will step down once a new leader is chosen. This new leader and his council will aim to curb the massive amount of gang violence that has broken out, and maybe even come close to restoring the country to its original state. Fact of the Day: To preserve its natural beauty, Hawaii has an official ban on billboards, introduced in 1927 as part of an 'urban beautification' initiative. Quote of the Day: A determined person will do more with a pen and paper, than a lazy person will accomplish with a personal computer. (Catherine Pulsifer) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Dragoon (verb)- When used with into, dragoon means "to force or convince someone to do something." Without into, dragoon means "to subjugate or persecute by harsh use of troops." In a Sentence: Employees complained that they had been dragooned into working overtime without adequate compensation.

We have a YNH Exclusive for our daily update today, which will do a deep dive into the 2024 Global Happiness Report! Contents: 2024 Global Happiness Report Released: Here are the Highlights Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day This year's Global Happiness Report is out, and Finland has ranked as the World's Happiest Country once again. The system rates countries on a scale of 0-10 in terms of the population's happiness. They rate their lives and how happy they are, and the average scores are between 3-7. Here are the highlights from each continent: North America: Costa Rica was North America's happiest country (7.0), while the Dominican Republic was the continent's least happy (5.8), but it was still happier than over half of the countries in the survey. The United States dropped out of the top 20 for the first time, placing 23rd, and Canada was one of the only two countries in the top 20 with a population of over 30 million. However, similar to the Nordic countries of Europe, the old were much happier than the young, who tended to be much unhappier. South America: Uruguay was South America's happiest country (6.6) and Venezuela was its least happy country (5.6). Uruguay was the fifth-happiest country in the Americas, after Mexico, the US, Canada, and Costa Rica. Europe: The happiest country in Europe was Finland (7.7), while Ukraine was its least happy (4.9). Europe was the world's overall happiest country, with Northern Europe dominating the rankings. Across the entire world, Finland placed first (7.7), Denmark second (7.6), Iceland third (7.5), Sweden fourth (7.3), Netherlands sixth (7.3), Norway seventh (7.3), Luxembourg eighth (7.3), and Switzerland ninth (7.1). Western Europe averaged around 6, while Central and Eastern Europe were slightly less happy but still around 5.5 on the rankings. The lowest ranked was Ukraine after its ongoing two-year war with Russia, which led to its 4.9 rating on the happiness scale. Africa: Africa ranked as the world's least happy continent, and its happiest country was Libya (5.9) while its least happy country was Lesotho (3.2). Libya has managed to solve most of its issues to rank highest in Africa with a 5.9, while Mauritius placed next highest in Africa with a 5.8. However, most of Western Africa ranked around 4.5, and Southern Africa's average was extremely low, only around 3.5. 8 of the 10 least happy countries in the world were located in Africa, with the exception of Afghanistan. The Middle East and Central Asia: The Middle East had Israel as its happiest country (7.3), while its least happy was Afghanistan, which was the world's saddest country with a rating of 1.7 (an entire point below the next lowest, Lebanon). Western and Central Asia had countries across the scale, ranging from the upper end with Israel (7.3), UAE (6.7), and Saudi Arabia (6.6), to the lower end with Afghanistan (1.7), Lebanon (2.7), and Yemen (3.6), with everything in between. South and East Asia: South and East Asia's most happy was Singapore (6.5) and its least happy was Bangladesh (3.9). East Asia's scores hovered around 5-6, with South Asia having the lowest scores with Bangladesh (3.9), Sri Lanka (3.9), and India (4.1), and East Asia having scores a little higher, like Singapore's 6.5, Taiwan's 6.5, and Japan's 6.1. Oceania: Lastly, not much data was collected from Oceania, but Australia and New Zealand came in with very good scores of 7.1 and 7.0, respectively. Overall, Europe was the happiest continent, with 8 of the top 10 countries being located in Europe and 5 of those 8 being in the Scandinavian region. The top 10 were Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Sweden, Israel, Netherlands, Norway, Luxembourg, Switzerland, and Australia. Africa was the unhappiest continent, with 8 of the bottom 10 countries being located there. The bottom 10 were Afghanistan, Lebanon, Lesotho, Sierra Leone, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Zimbabwe, Botswana, Malawi, Eswatini, and Zambia. Fact of the Day: In Montana, it is illegal to play "folf," or frisbee golf. Playing "folf" anywhere not designated a "folf course" could cost you $500 or up to 6 months in jail. Quote of the Day: It is not the mountain we conquer, but ourselves. (Sir Edmund Hillary) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Scurrilous (adj)- Scurrilous is a formal adjective that most often describes language that contains obscenities, abuse, or, especially, slander—that is, a false statement that damages a person’s reputation. Scurrilous can also describe someone who uses or tends to use scurrilous language, or it can describe a person or thing as evil or vulgar. In a Sentence: The press secretary made a point at the briefing not to address the scurrilous rumors surrounding the senator.

2024 NCAA March Madness is kicking off today! You can stay updated with the latest info on the tournament at our article on it! Check out the article here. Good luck on your brackets! Contents: Dirty Dozen and Clean Fifteen Foods Released, Strawberries Top the List Fact of the Day Quote of the Day Word of the Day The 2024 list of clean and pesticide-covered foods is out, and strawberries have topped the list once again. The Environmental Working Group reports foods with detectable levels of pesticides versus other natural foods that don't have them each year, and the top ones are labeled the 'Dirty Dozen' while the cleanest are the 'Clean Fifteen.' The Dirty Dozen this year consisted of numerous nonorganic fruits and vegetables: strawberries, leafy greens like spinach and kale, collard and mustard greens, grapes, peaches, pears, nectarines, apples, bell and hot peppers, cherries, blueberries, and green beans, respectively, while the Clean Fifteen was made up of carrots, sweet potatoes, mangoes, mushrooms, watermelons, cabbage, kiwis, honeydew melons, asparagus, frozen sweet peas, papaya, onions, pineapples, sweet corn, and avocados. In total, 254 pesticides were detected across the list on the 47,510 samples from 46 different fruits and vegetables that were tested, but the comparisons aren't exactly fair. Depending on the food, farmers may need to use more or less pesticide based on how many bugs like nibbling on it: for example, they need to spray less on avocados because bugs stay away from their thick skins, but more pesticide on strawberries because they are sweeter and more easily consumable to bugs searching for food. Consuming pesticides can lead to a slew of problems, including a higher cancer risk, brain and nervous system issues, birth defects, reproductive problems, and issues with various organs like the lungs, liver and kidneys. The most common pesticides found on the foods were fungicides, which are sprayed onto fruits and vegetables to prevent them from molding as they begin their journey to your home. However, don't stay away from these healthy foods completely-- they are vital to human health! To keep away from the pesticides, look for organic produce and make sure to thoroughly wash any fruits or vegetables that would end up in your mouth with water -- don't use soap or any other cleaner -- to remove as much pesticide from the food as possible. Fact of the Day: Throwing snowballs is illegal in Topeka, Kansas. Quote of the Day: Discipline automates habits which, in turn, determine your outcomes. (David Khalil) Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Flora (noun)- Flora refers to all the plants that live in a particular area, time, period, or environment. It can also be used broadly to refer to plant, bacterial, or fungal life. In a Sentence: Lisa admired the aquatic flora in the pond as she gazed out at the horizon.