NEWS

1. UN provides an update on UNRWA employees accused of involvement on October 7 by Israel:

   UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said on Friday that UN investigators looking into Israeli claims that 12 employees of the UN Palestinian refugee agency UNRWA participated in the Hamas attacks on October 7 had closed one investigation because there was insufficient proof from Israel and postponed three others.

   He claimed that the Office for Internal Oversight Services (OIOS) is still looking into the eight cases that are left.

   Dujarric stated in the closed case that "no evidence was provided by Israel to support the allegations against the staff member" and that the UN is "exploring corrective administrative action to be taken in that person's case."

   According to him, three cases have been put on hold "because OIOS cannot move forward with an investigation based on the information provided by Israel."

2. The Shenzhou-18 crew from China arrives at the Tiangong space station:

   Three members of China's most recent crew of astronauts launched from Jiuquan spaceport in the Gobi Desert on Thursday and arrived at the Tiangong space station.

   China's human spaceflight agency confirmed shortly after the incident that the Shenzhou-18 spacecraft had successfully completed its rendezvous and docking with Tiangong's radial docking port at 3:32 p.m. Eastern (1932 UTC), April 25.

   When the hatch opens, the Shenzhou-17 crew will welcome the Shenzhou-18 astronauts—commander Ye Guangfu and rookies Li Cong and Li Guangsu—aboard Tiangong.

3. A Romanian court has decided that Andrew Tate will go on trial for rape and trafficking:

   A Romanian court ruled on Friday that Andrew Tate's trial, an internet influencer who calls himself a "misogynist" and is charged with rape and people trafficking, can proceed.

   Tate was accused in June along with his brother Tristan and two Romanian citizens on counts of human trafficking, rape and creating a criminal gang to sexually exploit women - allegations they have rejected.

   The Tate brothers have already appealed the decision, according to Mateea Petrescu, a spokeswoman for the brothers, and the court in Bucharest, the capital of Romania, has not yet set a trial date.

   Prosecutors in Romania claimed that the Tate brothers tricked victims into believing they want a marriage or romance. Lead attorney for the Tate brothers, Eugen Vidineac, asserted that their "strong appeal" was submitted and that the Friday decision "lacks legal basis and reasoning."

   The other two suspects' counsel, Adrian Sandulescu, asserted that the ruling "is unlawful and without foundation."

4. Minister of agriculture for Ukraine jailed in a multimillion-dollar corruption investigation:

   Following his designation as an official suspect in a multimillion-dollar corruption investigation, Mykola Solskyi, the minister of agriculture for Ukraine, was placed under arrest.

   As part of its application to join the EU, Kyiv, which has been plagued by corruption scandals since the collapse of the Soviet Union, has promised to strengthen its anti-graft initiatives.

   When Solskyi led a significant farming firm and served in parliament, he was charged with unlawfully taking over $7 million (£5.6 million) worth of land. According to prosecutors, a court against corruption has mandated that he remain under prison until June 24. A 75.7 million hryvnia bail was imposed ($1.9 million).

   This Monday, Solskyi submitted his resignation letter and pledged to assist with the inquiry.

   On Friday, the case's prosecutors said that they had charged twelve more individuals, including civil personnel.

5. The British destroyer crew that scoredthe first missile for the Royal Navy since the Gulf War:

   The Royal Navy's first ballistic missile kill since the Gulf War over 30 years ago came on Wednesday when a UK warship knocked down a ballistic missile fired by the Houthis in Yemen.

   According to a recent report, the Type 45 destroyer HMS Diamond neutralized the lethal Houthi danger in the Gulf of Aden while defending a commercial ship by deploying its cutting-edge Sea Viper missile interceptors.

   The first confirmed Houthi attack in more than a week was reported by US Central Command, or CENTCOM, on Wednesday, indicating that a coalition warship had "successfully engaged" an anti-ship ballistic missile over the Gulf of Aden earlier in the day.

FACTS

1. Madame Curie’s Radioactive Research:

   Madame Curie’s notebooks are still so radioactive that researchers wishing to study them must sign a waiver.

2. The Human Soap Recipe:

   The human body contains enough fat to make about seven bars of soap.

3. Microraptor’s Size:

   The smallest dinosaur ever discovered is called the Microraptor, and it is only 16 inches long.

4. Cheetahs and Fragrances:

   Cheetahs love the smell of Calvin Klein fragrances. This discovery has been used by researchers to attract cheetahs for observation.

5. Pterodactyl Wingspan:

   There was a type of Pterodactyl with a bigger wingspan than a fighter jet. Its remains were found in Romania.

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NEWS

1. An extinct snake found in India that was as long as fifty feet:

   An enormous extinct snake that was up to 50 feet long and is thought to be the largest known Madtsoiid snake was found by Indian researchers. The 47 million-year-old specimen of Vasuki indicus is nearly twice as large as typical snakes of the same kind, such as pythons.

   The researchers dubbed it Vasuki, a reference to the well-known Hindu fable about the serpent Vāsuki that is coiled around Lord Shiva's neck, a supreme god in the Shaivism school of Hinduism.
   Researchers concluded that the snake was probably too big and slow to be a forager and that it was more likely an ambush predator that coiled its victim like a python.
   The study stated that the specimen was completely developed and may have weighed as much as 2,200 pounds. It also had a large, cylindrical body.

2. Man detained at Iran consulate over Paris bomb threat:

   Following allegations that a man was spotted approaching the Iranian consulate near the Eiffel Tower in Paris, armed police have made an arrest. The facility was encircled by elite officers from France's BRI intervention brigade after a witness saw the guy appear to be carrying an explosive vest or grenade. According to French media, the suspect eventually departed the premises. Police arrested a man shortly after 14:45 (12:45 GMT). After that, BRI police searched him and discovered that he was not carrying any explosives. According to French media, at approximately 11:00 a.m., a man entered the consulate and declared his desire to get revenge for his brother's death. In the heart of the city, adjacent streets in the 16th district were blocked off.

   The Paris prefect gave the order for BRI police to storm the area, even though it was unclear what kind of threat they posed.
   Transport officials claimed that the Paris metro was suspended in the vicinity of the consulate, which is adjacent to Trocadero and the River Seine. The location is also popular with visitors.

3. Iran Threatens Israel with an Unprecedented Nuclear Defensive:

   Iran threatened to stray from the openly declared "peaceful" goals of its nuclear program on Thursday by announcing that it would reconsider its nuclear "doctrine." Threatening to veer off course, Israel has been considering how to react to Iran's strike, which began on April 13 when Tehran fired over 300 missiles and drones in Israel. The strike, which was carried out in reprisal for the assassination of a senior commander at an Iranian embassy in Syria earlier this month, was mainly prevented and did not seriously harm Israel. Fears of a full-scale conflict breaking out in the area have increased as a result of Israeli officials' pledge to respond but their lack of additional information.

4. The planet's record heat wave might herald a new chapter in climate history:

   The capital of Mali was engulfed in a thick, oppressive layer of heat that drove people out of the streets and into their houses. In early April, Bamako had temperatures above 110 degrees Fahrenheit for about a week. Ice became 10 times more expensive than usual, and the overburdened electricity grid malfunctioned and shut down. Due to the country's large Muslim population fasting during the holy month of Ramadan, heat stroke and dehydration have become widespread issues. People's blood pressure decreased as their body temperatures rose. Their brains swelled, their livers and kidneys failed, and their vision became blurry. Within four days, doctors at the city's major hospital had documented as many deaths as they would have in a month. The local graveyards were overflowing.

5. Amsterdam forbids the building of new hotels in an effort to combat overtourism:

   In an effort to combat mass tourism, Amsterdam, the Netherlands, will no longer permit the construction of new hotel structures, the city's authorities announced on Wednesday, April 17.
   "We aim to maintain and improve the city's livability for both locals and tourists." This entails: no overtourism, no new hotel construction, and no more than 20 million overnight stays by visitors annually, according to a statement from the organization.
   In Amsterdam, construction on a new hotel is only permitted if an existing one closes, if there are no more rooms, and if the new hotel will be superior—for instance, more environmentally friendly.
   New hotels that already have a permit, however, are exempt from the rule.
   

FACTS

1. Sharks vs. Trees:

   Sharks have been swimming in our oceans for longer than trees have been growing on land. Sharks date back to about 400 million years ago, while the earliest trees appeared around 350 million years ago.

2. The Moon’s Smell:

   Astronauts have reported that the moon smells like spent gunpowder. This is likely due to the reactive nature of lunar dust1.

3. Antarctica’s Dry Valleys:

   There are parts of Antarctica called the Dry Valleys where it hasn’t rained for nearly 2 million years1.

4. Tiny Hummingbirds: A hummingbird weighs less than a penny. These tiny birds are incredibly lightweight and agile in flight.

5. Neptune’s Elusiveness:

   Neptune is the only planet in our solar system that can’t be seen by the naked eye. Its distant location and faint appearance make it challenging to observe without telescopic aid.

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NEWS

1. Sydney stabbing suspect Joel Cauchi identified by police after Bondi mall attack:

   Joel Cauchi, 40, started stabbing individuals with a long sword on Saturday, which caused panic at the busy Westfield Bondi Junction complex and six people to die.
   A guy and five women perished. A infant was among the other people who sustained injuries. One of the victims was the daughter of a popular millionaire John Singleton.
   According to the authorities, Mr. Cauchi's mental condition was most likely a factor in the attack.
   Reps were asked if she thought he was going after women, and New South Wales Police Commissioner Karen Webb responded that it would be "an obvious line of inquiry" on Sunday.
   She did, however, reiterate that the stabbings were thought to have "no ideological motivation" and that she would not characterize them as a "act of terror".

2. Iran launches huge attack at Israel:

   Iran launched 300 drones and missles at Israel. Hagari called the assault a "significant escalation." According to Iranian official media, the attack was a form of vengeance for an Israeli strike that killed seven members of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, including two senior commanders, this month in Syria during an Iranian consular building.
   The strikes are being intercepted by Israel and its allies, but many Iranian missiles fell inside Israeli territory, slightly damaging a military base. According to Hagari, a young girl was hurt in the attack.

3. 276 schoolgirls were kidnapped:

   They spent years being kidnapped from school and imprisoned in the heart of the massive Sambisa forest. The girls were subjected to physical abuse by their captors, forced marriages, and religious pressure as punishment for their audacity in pursuing an education.
   In the past ten years, over 100 of the 276 Chibok schoolgirls abducted by the terrorist organization Boko Haram have been released. 82 people's whereabouts are still unknown, according to data from Amnesty International.
   Over the course of its 15-year insurgent campaign in northern Nigeria, Boko Haram has abducted hundreds of individuals. However, the Chibok girls are a powerful representation of optimism and resiliency in the globe.

4. The Biden administration demands that Iran frees the crew and cargo ship connected to Israel "immediately.":
   The crew of a cargo ship connected to Israel is being demanded by the Biden administration to be released "immediately" after it was seized on Saturday in the Strait of Hormuz.
   On Saturday at around noon local time, members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) descended from a helicopter onto the ship, according to Tasmin News Agency, an Iranian news agency connected to the IRGC.
   The ship is the containership MSC Aries, flying the Portuguese flag and owned by Zodiac Maritime, a company located in London. Zodiac Maritime is a division of Zodiac Group, owned by Israeli billionaire Eyal Ofer.
   Though it functions as a part of Iran's armed forces, the IRGC is separate from the country's traditional army. The IRGC has been classified as a foreign terrorist organization by the US State Department.

5. Rejecting Israel's answer to a ceasefire Hamas maintains its core demands:
   Hamas, an Islamist organization in Palestine, stated on Saturday that it has sent its answer to the Israeli cease-fire plan it had received last Monday to mediators in Egypt and Qatar.
   The talks are still at a standstill after more than six months of fighting between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, with Hamas maintaining that any deal must put an end to the conflict.

   "We.. reaffirm our adherence to our demands and the national demands of our people; with a permanent ceasefire, the withdrawal of the occupation army from the entire Gaza Strip, the return of the displaced to their areas and places of residence, intensification of the entry of relief and aid, and the start of reconstruction," said Hamas.

   Israel said it will not stop fighting until Hamas is eliminated as a military organization, even if it wants to secure the release of the hostages that Hamas took during its operation on October 7 that started the conflict. Additionally, it states that it still intends to attack Rafah, a city in southern Gaza where over a million inhabitants have sought safety.

FACTS

1. Space Proximity:

   Space is only about 62 miles away from the Earth’s surface. If you could drive upwards at freeway speeds, you’d arrive in less than an hour.

2. Genghis Khan’s Legacy:

   About eight percent of men in certain Asian populations are related to Genghis Khan.

3. Rockefeller’s Wealth:

   Adjusted for inflation, John D. Rockefeller is considered the richest person in history, with a net worth 10 times more than Bill Gates.

4. Venus Day Longer than Year:

   A day on Venus is longer than a year on Venus. It takes about 243 earth days to rotate once, but only about 225 Earth days to orbit the sun.

5. Jupiter’s Diamond Rain:

   Scientists believe that on Jupiter and Saturn, it rains diamonds. This is due to the methane in the atmosphere, which, under the right conditions, turns into soot and as it falls, hardens into graphite and then diamond before reaching the surface.

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NEWS

1. "Outrage against international law": Due to an embassy raid, Mexico severs diplomatic ties with Ecuador:

   After police stormed its embassy in Quito to take former Ecuadorian Vice President Jorge Glas into custody, Mexico is severing diplomatic ties with Ecuador.
   A spokesman for the foreign ministry confirmed the decision to CNNE, stating that all Mexican diplomats would depart Ecuador right now.
   In a flare-up that Mexico denounced as "an outrage against international law," Ecuadorian police stormed the Mexican embassy in the country's capital Quito on Friday night to arrest the former vice president, who is requesting asylum there.

2. Taiwan earthquake: More than 600 people still stranded 3 days after earthquake:

   According to media sources, the demolition of a structure that is dangerously tilted following an earthquake in Taiwan was put on hold on Saturday due to aftershocks that increased the building's lean.

   

   VCG/VCG via Getty Images

   A prominent sight from the magnitude 7.4 earthquake that also buried people under boulders at nearby Taroko National Park, a popular hiking destination about 25 kilometers (15 miles) northwest of Hualien, is the red building, about ten stories tall and sloping over a street in the city of Hualien.

   After a third fatality was discovered on the Shakadang Trail within the park, the death toll increased to 13. Three of the other six missing persons are on the same track. Three days after the earthquake, more than 400 people were still stuck in areas that had been damaged. Most of them are in Taroko Park at a hotel.
   Since the earthquake off the east coast of Taiwan on Wednesday morning, hundreds of aftershocks have been felt in the region; one of the most recent was a magnitude-5.2 on Saturday just before midday.
   Horrifying stories of pebbles falling onto roads and locking survivors in tunnels until help arrived to free them have been shared by survivors.
   
   

3. Greta Thunberg arrested in the Netherlands:

   Prominent Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg and a few activists from Extinction Rebellion were taken into custody by Dutch authorities after they blocked a freeway in The Hague.
   Extinction Rebellion members including Thunberg were spotted waiting in a bus while police continued to make arrests. The demonstration was against subsidies for fossil fuels.
   Hundreds of police, including some mounted, were observed preventing demonstrators from entering the A12 road, which leads to The Hague's parliament.
   The group's activists have already blocked the roadway over thirty times in opposition to the handouts. Despite police instructions to evacuate, a small group of individuals succeeded in sitting down on another road and were taken into custody.
   

4. On the last Friday of Ramadan, 120,000 Muslim worshippers calmly offer prayers at Al-Aqsa:

   On the final Friday of Ramadan, thousands of Muslims attended the Al-Aqsa Mosque on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, where they prayed in silence amid worries about unrest brought on by the ongoing Gaza conflict and rising tensions with Iran.
   The sacred site's overseer, the Islamic Waqf, estimated that 120,000 people came for the afternoon prayers. In the middle of a significant police presence, the Israel police said that "tens of thousands" gathered and that prayers went off mainly without incident.
   But according to police, they have detained two people for disobeying an earlier directive to avoid the third-holiest place in Islam and one person for striking an officer.
   According to a police statement, "Police will continue augmented operations in Jerusalem until Saturday morning, as the 'Leilat al-Qader' prayers end on the Temple Mount."
   Earlier in the day, when some of the attendees of the dawn prayers at Al-Aqsa "began chanting in support of terrorism," police stated they had arrested eight persons for inciting. Four of the people detained were citizens of Israel and were from the northern region of the country; the other four were from East Jerusalem, according to the police.

5. Three members of the International Space Station crew board a Soyuz capsule, and they land safely in Kazakhstan:

   Following their operations onboard the International Space Station, a Russian space capsule carrying two women and one man touched down safely on a grassland in Kazakhstan on Saturday.
   At 12:17 p.m. Kazakh time (0717 GMT), the Soyuz MS-24 carrying Oleg Novitsky of Russia, Loral O'Hara of NASA, and Marina Vasilevskaya of Belarus made landfall southeast of the isolated village of Dzhezkazgan.
   Russian cosmonauts Nikolai Chub, Alexander Grebenkin, and Oleg Kononenko, along with NASA astronauts Michael Barratt, Matthew Dominick, Tracy Dyson, and Jeannette Epps, are the only ones still on the orbiting station.
   O'Hara spent 204 days aboard the International Space Station after arriving on September 15, 2023, according to NASA.
   

FACTS

1. Ancient 3D Movies:

   Believe it or not, the first-ever 3D film was released in cinemas all the way back in 1922.

2. First man peeing on the moon:

   Neil Armstrong was the first man to walk on the moon, but Buzz Aldrin holds the title for being the first to urinate there.

3. Russia vast surface area:

   Russia’s vast landmass is so extensive that it has more surface area than the dwarf planet Pluto.

4. Polar Time Zone:

   There is no specific time zone at the South Pole due to all the Earth’s time zones converging there.

5. Green Oranges:

   Oranges weren’t always orange. Originally, they were green, and in warmer regions, some oranges still stay green through maturity.

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NEWS

1. Putin surprised by terror in Russia - but experts are not:

   According to Professor of History and Global Studies at California State University Ibrahim Al-Marashi, the attack on the Moscow concert hall follows the modus operandi of the ISKP. In an essay for the Kyiv Post, he refers to the IS attack at a concert at the Bataclan nightclub in Paris in 2015, in which 89 people died. There, too, terrorists fired Kalashnikov machine guns at the music-loving crowd.

   According to Al-Marashi, there are two key reasons why Russia, of all countries, was hit this time: Firstly, it was the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan in 1979 that destabilized the region and thus created the breeding ground for extremist groups such as ISKP. As the successor state to the Soviet Union, Russia is therefore the logical enemy. In addition, Russia has been supporting the ruling dictator Bashar al-Assad in the Syrian civil war since 2015, whose opponents also include Islamic State rebel fighters.

   Translated from Frankfurter Rundschau.

2. Authorities Warn of "Daunting" Process as Bridge Cleaning Begins:

   Maryland Governor Wes Moore has described the process of clearing debris from the Baltimore shipping channel as "complex" and a "down payment toward initial costs." The Port of Baltimore, one of the busiest commercial ports in the country and a major hub for autos on the East Coast, has been shut down since the collapse, leaving around a dozen ships detained. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers has announced that it will pay for the full clearance of the waterway, while the Biden administration has allocated $60 million in emergency federal highway money for the bridge reconstruction project. The U.S. Department of Transportation has promised further emergency roadway funding.

3. 45 easter pilgrims killed in a bus disaster in South Africa, 8 year old girl survived:

   A bus carrying pilgrims to an Easter celebration in rural South Africa crashed, killing all 45 people on board, except for an 8-year-old girl who survived. The accident highlights the dangers of South Africa's roadways during the Easter holiday. The girl is in stable condition after being admitted to the hospital with severe injuries. Authorities had issued alerts cautioning drivers of the danger just one day before the collision.

4. Israel kills top Hezbollah rocket commander in Lebanon; 5 others slain in Syria:

   In the midst of a barrage of strikes against the Lebanese terror group north of Israel's border, the Israel Defense Forces claimed to have killed the deputy commander of Hezbollah's missile unit in a drone hit in southern Lebanon on Friday morning.
   Ali Naim, a top Hezbollah commander, was hit by a car in the nearby village of Bazouriye.
   Naim was "regarded as a significant source of knowledge in the terror group, and leader in the field of rockets," the Israeli Defense Forces said.
   The IDF continued, "He was also in charge of organizing and carrying out attacks against Israeli civilians and one of the leaders for heavy-warhead rocket fire."
   Hezbollah acknowledged Naim's passing but did not use his title of commander.

5. Russia says major powers should cease "strangling" North Korea following veto:

   The veto demonstrates the extent to which big-power collaboration on other significant international issues has been weakened by the Ukraine war, which set off the most serious crisis in Russia's relations with the West since the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.
   Since Putin gave the order to invade Ukraine on a large scale in 2022, Moscow has made great efforts to showcase a resurgence of its military links and relationship with Pyongyang.
   The claims made by Washington that North Korea has given Russia weapons to use against Ukraine have been denied by Pyongyang and the Kremlin.

   Courting Kim enables Putin, who claims that Russia and the West are engaged in an existential struggle over Ukraine, to poke fun at Washington and its Asian allies while obtaining a substantial supply of artillery for the conflict in Ukraine.
   For Kim, who has promised to speed up nuclear weapons manufacturing in order to thwart what he perceives as provocative actions by the United States, Russia is a formidable ally, possessing vast stocks of cutting-edge missile, military, space, and nuclear technology.
   

FACTS

1. The Real Tallest Mountain:

   While Mount Everest gets all the attention, Mauna Kea in Hawaii is technically the tallest mountain on Earth when measured from base to summit (rather than from sea level). Most of Mauna Kea is underwater, though!

2. Orange vs. Color:

   The fruit orange isn’t named after the color; it’s the other way around. Before the late 15th century, “orange” was considered a shade of red. Until then, English only had the term “yellow-red” for this hue.

3. Ancient Condoms:

   The oldest condoms ever found were made from animal and fish intestines. One example, discovered in Sweden, was crafted from pig intestine around 1640 AD.

4. Chameleons and Color:

   Contrary to popular belief, chameleons don’t change color to blend in with their environment. Instead, they use color changes to signal moods, aggression, territorial behavior, and their intention to mate. Evolution produces some fascinating adaptations!

5. The Carrot Myth:

   During World War II, British intelligence spread the rumor that Royal Air Force pilots had superior night vision because they ate lots of carrots. In reality, the RAF used radar to spot German planes in the dark. The carrot story was a clever cover-up!

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NEWS

1. ISIS claims responsibility for attack in busy Moscow-area concert venue that left at least 40 dead:

   ISIS has taken credit for the attack on Friday at a well-known concert venue complex outside of Moscow, which resulted in over 100 injuries and at least 40 fatalities when attackers broke into the building brandishing firearms and setting off fireworks.
   In a brief statement released on Telegram on Friday by the ISIS-affiliated news agency Amaq, the terror group claimed responsibility for the attack. The assertion was not substantiated by the group's evidence.

   The venue's roof has reportedly partially collapsed, according to state media Russia 24.
   They also report that the attack occurred prior to the musical ensemble Picnic's scheduled performance. State media was informed by the band's manager that the performers were unharmed.

2. Germany's health insurance could cover Wegovy for strokes, heart conditions, agency says:

   A major encouragement to Novo Nordisk's efforts to persuade governments of the weight-loss medication Wegovy's broader medical benefits is that the weight-loss medication may now be covered by Germany's public health insurance program for some patients at risk of heart disease or strokes.
   In addition to its previously permitted usage for treating obesity, the very popular weight-loss medication Wegovy may also be used to lower the risk of heart attacks and strokes, according to the European Union's medicines authority.

3. The Princess of Wales, Kate, got diagnosed cancer:

   Catherine describes it as a "huge shock" following a "remarkably difficult couple of months" in a video statement.
   Nonetheless, she conveyed optimism when she said, "I am well and getting stronger every day."
   The princess's disease has not been made public, but Kensington Palace says it is optimistic that she will fully recover.

4. Russia warns Western banks of 'catastrophic consequences' over asset confiscation:

   On Friday, the Kremlin issued a warning, citing "catastrophic consequences" if the EU moves forward with its intention to seize Russian assets stored in Western banks.
   According to senior industry sources, some Western banks are lobbying against EU measures to transfer billions of euros in interest earned on frozen Russian assets because they believe it could result in expensive legal action.
   Leaders of the European Union decided on Thursday to proceed with developing a proposal to invest as much as 3 billion euros ($3.24 billion) annually to arm Ukraine in an effort to support Kyiv's conflict with Russia, which would retain ownership of the underlying frozen assets. The funds, according to EU leaders, might be put to use in a few months.

5. Researchers found a tiny skull with wide eyes and a cartoonish grin. It could help solve an evolutionary puzzle:

   On Friday, the Kremlin issued a warning, citing "catastrophic consequences" if the EU moves forward with its intention to seize Russian assets stored in Western banks.
   According to senior industry sources, some Western banks are lobbying against EU measures to transfer billions of euros in interest earned on frozen Russian assets because they believe it could result in expensive legal action. Kermit the Frog meet Kermitops gratus, the most recent ancient amphibian to be identified.
   Leaders of the European Union decided on Thursday to proceed with developing a proposal to invest as much as 3 billion euros ($3.24 billion) annually to arm Ukraine in an effort to support Kyiv's conflict with Russia, which would retain ownership of the underlying frozen assets. The funds, according to EU leaders, might be put to use in a few months.

FACTS

1. A woman was elected to Congress before women’s suffrage:

   Jeanette Rankin became the first woman in the U.S. federal office in 1916, even before American women were granted the right to vote in 1920.

2. Metallic Asteroid “Kleopatra”:

   There exists a metallic asteroid shaped like a dog bone, aptly named “Kleopatra”.

3. Alaska’s Keyboard Claim:

   Alaska is the only U.S. state whose name can be typed using a single row of keys on a standard keyboard 1.

4. Fastest Wind Gust:

   The Earth experienced the fastest wind gust ever recorded, clocking in at a staggering 253 miles per hour.

5. Purple Carrots:

   Originally, carrots were violet in color, not the familiar orange we know today.

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NEWS

1. First Ship Carrying Food Aid Arrives in Gaza:

   For the first time since the conflict began, a humanitarian relief ship docked in Gaza on Friday. This marks the beginning of a new maritime operation aimed at providing more food and relief to the hungry Palestinians, since relief organizations claim Israel is impeding more effective road delivery.
   The World Central Kitchen charity provided 200 metric tons of rice, wheat, lentils, tinned meat, and chicken. The ship, the Open Arms, hauled a barge full of these items across the Mediterranean from Cyprus.

   According to Ursula von der Leyen, president of the European Union's executive arm, this is the first ship authorized to carry aid to Gaza since 2005. She has described the operation as a test project for a so-called maritime corridor for supplies to the area.

2. Map Displays Drone Danger Over Putin's Oil Empire in Ukraine:

   This week saw a sharp increase in crude oil prices as a result of Ukrainian UAVs striking several Russian oil refining facilities once more. Kyiv is continuing its long-term attempt to restrict Russian mobility in the Black Sea and the seized areas of Ukraine.
   Key locations in Ryazan, southeast of Moscow; the Rostov region near the Ukrainian border; Nizhny Novgorod, nearly 300 miles east of the capital; Kirshi, near St. Petersburg; and Pervyy Zavod, about 100 miles southwest of Moscow, were the targets of the most recent wave of drone attacks by the Ukrainian government.

3. The French lower house approves a pionnering bill to halt fast fashion:

   The lower chamber of the French Parliament unanimously approved a groundbreaking bill aimed at slowing down the fast-paced, fast-fashion industry, making France the first nation in the world to take aim at the influx of cheap, mass-produced clothing, mostly from China.

   One of the major global generators of greenhouse gas emissions is the fashion sector. In an effort to combat the environmental damage that fast fashion items create, France is attempting to lessen their appeal.

   The bill was unanimously adopted by lawmakers on Thursday, allowing the Senate to study it and decide whether to approve it or amend it and send it back to the lower house before it can become law.

4. A UN investigation claims that Russia routinely tortures prisoners in Ukraine:

   On Friday, a UN committee investigating Ukraine reported that it has acquired additional proof that Russia has routinely subjected Ukrainian POWs to torture, including records of threats of rape and the application of electric shocks to the genitalia.

   The three-member Commission of Inquiry described the incidence of such torture incidents as "widespread and systematic" and stated in a report that they may be on the order of the most egregious violations known as crimes against humanity.

   Erik Møse, the leader of the panel, told reporters in Geneva, "Victims' accounts disclose relentless brutal treatment inflicting severe pain and suffering during prolonged detention, with blatant disregard for human dignity."

5. “McDonald’s reports ‘system failure’ worldwide, impacting fast-food giant’s sales:”

   System outages at McDonald’s MCD, -0.92% have been reported worldwide Friday, shuttering some restaurants and leading to social media complaints, while other locations were back up and running after the failures.

   Customers from Australia to the U.K. have reportedly complained about problems placing orders, according to media sites. One Australian customer even uploaded a photo of the malfunctioning kiosk to X.

   Owner of multiple McDonald's restaurants in central Sweden, close to the Norwegian border, Patrik Hjelte told the local daily Nya Wermlands Tidning, "All McDonald's restaurants are connected to a global network and that is what's messed up." "We are restarting all of our systems right now, and we anticipate getting back to normal soon."

FACTS

1. Australia is Wider than the Moon:

   Australia’s width, measured from east to west, is over 4,000 km, which is wider than the diameter of the moon at 3,474 km

2. Allodoxaphobia:

   It’s the fear of opinions. This phobia is characterized by an intense fear or anxiety triggered by the thoughts or opinions of others, even if they’re not directed at the person with the phobia

3. Competitive Art in the Olympics:

   Believe it or not, art competitions were once part of the Olympic Games. From 1912 to 1948, medals were awarded for works of art inspired by sport

4. Human Teeth Can’t Self-Repair:

   Human teeth are the only part of the body that cannot heal themselves after being damaged.

5. Russia’s Vastness:

   Russia’s landmass is greater than the surface area of Pluto, making it the largest country by area on Earth.

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NEWS

• Biden wants to tax the rich:

  Biden stated he wants to increase the corporate tax rate from the current 21% to 28% and boost the minimum tax for multinational firms to 21% during a strong State of the Union Address last night. Raising the minimal rate, according to the White House, will make it harder for pharmaceutical companies and other massive corporations to avoid paying taxes. Additionally, the president wants to:

  • Make it more difficult for businesses to deduct executive private jet expenses and stop granting tax deductions for any employee salaries exceeding $1 million (now, this law only applies to C-suite compensation).

  • To encourage businesses to spend more of their revenue on salaries and growing their businesses, raise the tax rate on corporate stock buybacks from 1% to 4%.

  Meanwhile, Biden announced a plan to encourage homeownership for those who don't live in mansions. First-time homebuyers would receive a $5,000 credit for the first two years of their mortgage with this program.

2. Sweden finally joined the NATO as the 32nd member:

   With this action, Sweden has abandoned its long-standing, 1800s-era policy of remaining neutral in military wars. In reaction to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, Sweden submitted an application to join the military alliance in 2022. However, Turkey and Hungary first opposed the application, but they later reversed their stance, allowing Sweden to join NATO as its 32nd member. According to the BBC, Biden and Volodymyr Zelensky, the president of Ukraine, praised the inclusion, but Russia promised to take unnamed actions.

3. US to build an emergency port at Gaza:

   The temporary port will facilitate the large-scale delivery of aid with the goal of mitigating the humanitarian crisis that the Israel-Hamas war has caused in Gaza. The declaration was made by the president during his State of the Union speech last night, amid criticism from members of his own party regarding his lack of action in facilitating assistance distribution. According to reports, Biden has become irate with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and is looking for alternatives, such as airdropping the aid. According to authorities, the port won't require US military troops to operate onshore and will be built in a few weeks.

4. Dozens of Indian nationals duped into joining Russia's war:

   The Indian government requested that the Indian citizens enrolled in the program be released on Friday, stating that it had brought up the issue with the Russian authorities.
   The Central Bureau of Investigation, India's government investigative body, was able to take down a "major human trafficking network" on Thursday, according to the country's External Affairs Ministry.
   Media sources state that officials claim that about thirty men were tricked into serving in the Russian military on the pretense of being delivery boys and assistants to the Russian army, with the guarantee that their work would not include combat.
   The men were also informed that they would almost certainly be granted permanent residency in Russia if they were to receive an official government card.

5. France enshrines abortion as a constitutional right:

   On International Women's Day, Friday, France became the first country in the world to enshrine the right to an abortion in its constitution. This move sent a strong message of support to women everywhere.

   While abortion is a contentious topic in the United States, it is legal throughout almost all of Europe and enjoys strong support in France, where people view it more as a public health issue than a political one. With the support of numerous far-right parliamentarians, the constitutional change was passed by French lawmakers on Monday in a vote of 780 to 72.

FACTS

1. The word "nerd" was first coined by Dr. Seuss:

   The term "nerd" first appeared in the 1950 Dr. Seuss book "If I Ran the Zoo." It was used to describe a small, unkempt creature in the story.

2. The longest musical piece ever written is over 639 years long:

   John Cage's "As Slow As Possible" is being performed in Halberstadt, Germany. The performance began in 2001 and is scheduled to last until 2640. The current note being played is scheduled to change in 2022.

3. Roller Coasters Were Invented to Distract Americans from Sin:

   In the 1880s, businessman LaMarcus Thompson built America’s first roller coaster at Coney Island in New York. His goal? To provide New Yorkers with wholesome entertainment away from less virtuous temptations.

4. Sloths Can Hold Their Breath Longer Than Dolphins:

   Sloths can hold their breath for up to 40 minutes, while dolphins need air after just ten. Impressive, right?

5. Ice Pops Were Invented by an 11-Year-Old by Accident:

   Ice Pops Were Invented by an 11-Year-Old in 1905. Frank Epperson left soda and water outside overnight, creating the first “Epsicle.”

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NEWS

1. Apparently dozens of arrests after memorial service:

   On the day of the funeral of Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny, police in Russia detained more than 100 people across the country in connection with the funeral rallies, according to civil rights activists.

   The civil rights platform OWD-Info wrote in the evening of 128 arrests in 19 cities. "There may be more detainees in each police station than on the published lists," it said. In most cases, those affected were released after a short time.

2. Biden announces drop of aid supplies over the Gaza Strip:

   US President Joe Biden has announced an airdrop of humanitarian aid into the Gaza Strip. The operation will begin in the "coming days", said Biden. The USA would do everything in its power to bring more aid supplies to the coastal strip. The current aid deliveries to the Gaza Strip were not nearly enough. The USA was also continuing to work towards a ceasefire to allow more aid to be transported to the area. The UN fears famine in the Gaza Strip in view of the Israeli offensive.

3. Palestinian government submits resignation:

   The resignation of Mohammed Shtayyeh, the Prime Minister of the Palestinian Authority (PA), has already been the subject of speculation in recent days. He is to clear the way for a so-called technocratic government.

   The Palestinian Authority under Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas controls parts of the West Bank. However, it has lost more and more influence, partly as a result of the Israeli occupation, is considered corrupt and has hardly any support among the population.

4. Paris accuses Moscow of "bedbug scaremongering":

   The French "bedbug panic", which made international headlines last autumn, was fuelled by Russia, according to the government in Paris. The issue had been "blown up in online services by accounts linked to Russia", Europe Minister Jean-Noël Barrot told TF1.

   "A link was even falsely drawn between the arrival of Ukrainian refugees and the spread of bedbugs," the minister explained. "This was spread by accounts linked to the Kremlin."

5. Brussels releases 137 billion euros for Poland:

   The EU Commission has formally authorised the release of 137 billion euros for Poland, which had been frozen due to concerns about the rule of law. The government in Warsaw had introduced the required reforms and satisfactorily fulfilled important milestones regarding the independence of the judiciary.

   The money comes from two sources: Firstly, around 76.5 billion euros from the EU cohesion budget, which is intended to harmonise the living standards of the member states. Secondly, the Commission wants to release around 60 billion euros in long-blocked EU coronavirus aid. Of this, €34.5 billion is to be channelled in the form of loans and €25.3 billion in the form of grants.

FACTS

1. The deadly Texas wildfire is now the largest in the state’s history:

   The second-largest fire in US history, the Smokehouse Creek Fire has destroyed 1 million acres in the Texas Panhandle and an additional 31.5k in Oklahoma. Numerous houses and ranches were damaged, many more lost power, and at least one person died. CNN reported that as of Thursday, just 3% of the fire had been suppressed. Experts cautioned that the situation can get worse due to the mix of predicted dry air and erratic wind this weekend. Numerous state officials predicted the death of thousands of animals.

2. The Most Common Street Name in the United States is "Second Street":

   Across many cities and towns in the United States, "Second Street" holds the title of being the most common street name. It often follows "First Street" and precedes "Third Street."

3. The longest word in English is "pneumonoultramicroscopicsilicovolcanoconiosis":

   This word has 45 letters and refers to a lung disease caused by inhaling fine ash or sand particles.

4. There are more possible chess games than there are atoms in the observable universe:

   The number of possible chess games is estimated to be 10^120, while the estimated number of atoms in the observable universe is about 10^80.

5. There is a species of jellyfish that is biologically immortal:

   Turritopsis dohrnii, also known as the "immortal jellyfish," has the ability to revert back to its juvenile form after reaching maturity, essentially restarting its life cycle. This process can theoretically continue indefinitely, making it effectively immortal.

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NEWS

1. USA imposes 500 new sanctions against Russia:

   The USA has announced more than 500 new sanctions against Russia. The reason for this is the ongoing war and the death of regime critic Alexei Navalny, the US presidential office announced. The punitive measures are aimed at people connected to Navalny's imprisonment, the Russian financial sector and the military-industrial complex.

   "They will make Putin pay an even higher price for his aggression abroad and repression at home," said US President Joe Biden. "We are also imposing new export restrictions on nearly 100 companies that support Russia's war machine through the back door." This is intended to prevent existing sanctions from being circumvented via third countries.

2. ICJ hearings on policy in Palestinian territories:

   Hearings on the legality of almost 60 years of Israeli occupation of the Palestinian territories have begun at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. Palestinian Foreign Minister Riad Al Malki spoke at the start.

   He accused Israel of pursuing "a policy of apartheid and colonialism" in the occupied territories. "More than 3.5 million Palestinians in the West Bank, including Jerusalem, are subjected to the colonisation of their territory and the racist violence that makes this possible."

3. 137 billion euros from the EU for Poland:

   Poland can plan to receive billions in payments from Brussels. EU funds had previously been frozen. Commission President von der Leyen announced her intention to release the money. "We will put it to good use," said Poland's Prime Minister Tusk.

   The EU Commission wants to release frozen funds for Poland. "I have good news," said Commission President Ursula von der Leyen during a visit to Warsaw. Next week, the Brussels authority will take two decisions to release the funds. "These decisions will release 137 billion euros for Poland." She was impressed by Poland's efforts to restore the rule of law, von der Leyen continued. "A strong rule of law also means a more resilient society, and this is needed more than ever."

4. "It was all over in three or four hours":

   The burnt-out tower block in Valencia was still smoking when firefighters ventured into the building for the first time at midday. Behind the charred facades, they carefully work their way through the apartment block, which may be in danger of collapsing, in search of missing people - and the causes of the devastating fire. At least nine people died and 15 were injured.

   Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez visits the scene of the accident at midday to assess the situation. Sanchez thanked the emergency services and announced help for the victims. "We are here to offer our help to the government of the city and the region," he said. "To find out what happened and how we can help the families who have been victims of this terrible tragedy."

5. First commercial moon landing:

   While Jerome Powell continues to work on his soft landing, it has already been completed on the moon.
   The Odysseus lander from Intuitive Machines made history last night by being the first American spacecraft to set foot on the moon since Apollo 17 in 1972. This is a significant milestone for those pursuing the realization of Zenon: Z3 and for lunar exploration in general.
   A week after taking off on a SpaceX rocket, the Houston-based company's lander reached the southern pole region of the moon on Thursday at approximately 6:30 p.m. ET after teams on the ground resolved a last-minute navigational problem. Odysseus may now go off on his quest to find out whether the moon's craters contain water.

FACTS

1. There are More Trees on Earth Than Stars in the Milky Way:

   While estimating the number of stars in the Milky Way is challenging, it is generally accepted that there are around 100 to 400 billion stars. In contrast, recent studies estimate that there are over 3 trillion trees on Earth.

2. Coca-Cola Originally Contained Cocaine:

   When Coca-Cola was first introduced in the late 19th century, it indeed contained cocaine derived from coca leaves. The beverage's name even reflects its original ingredients: coca leaves and kola nuts. However, the cocaine was removed from the formula in 1904, though the flavoring from the coca leaf is still used today.

3. The Unicorn is the National Animal of Scotland:

   While you might think of the thistle when it comes to Scottish symbols, the unicorn holds the official title of the national animal of Scotland. It symbolizes purity, innocence, and power.

4. Some Cats Are Allergic to Humans:

   Just like humans can be allergic to cats, some cats can be allergic to humans. It's a rare condition called "human/cat allergy," where cats develop allergic reactions to proteins found in human skin cells and saliva.

5. The First Webcam Was Used to Monitor a Coffee Pot:

   In 1991, researchers at the University of Cambridge set up the world's first webcam to monitor the status of a coffee pot. The camera was pointed at the pot in the Trojan Room, allowing researchers to see if there was coffee available before making the trip to the room.

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NEWS

1. “Putin is responsible”:

   Alexei Navalny was one of the most prominent opponents of Russian President Vladimir Putin - the news of his death in a Russian prison camp caused great consternation worldwide.

   For the EU, the USA and other Western governments, the responsibility clearly lies with Moscow. US President Joe Biden said in Washington that there was no doubt that Navalny's death was a consequence of Vladimir Putin's actions and those of "his criminals". "Putin is responsible", said Biden. He was shocked at the news of Navalny's death, but not surprised.

2. Plea for European defense industry:

   EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen wants to use the EU states' growing investments in weapons, ammunition and soldiers to build a new European defense industry. "We have a very fragmented defense market, and that has to change," von der Leyen told the Financial Times ("FT"). "We need to invest more, we need to invest better and we need to invest in Europe," said von der Leyen. European taxpayers' money should also be spent in Europe.

   According to the EU politician, who wants to remain Commission President for another five years, the Commission is currently developing a strategy for the defense industry based on the experience of using taxpayers' money to promote the production of Covid-19 vaccines and for joint energy purchases.

3. Two-state solution - even without Israel if necessary?:

   When the situation in the Middle East is discussed at the Munich Security Conference, there is also a big plan on the table: a ceasefire in Gaza, the release of the kidnapped hostages, the reconstruction of the destroyed area - and a Palestinian state.

   This plan is being driven forward by the USA and the Arab states of Jordan and Egypt, Qatar and Saudi Arabia. Foreign Minister Baerbock, who returned yesterday from her fifth visit to Israel since October 7, also spoke out in favor of a two-state solution in an interview with the Israeli television station Channel 12.

   “The greatest defeat for Hamas and those who deny Israel's right to exist will be if the Arab world reaches a peace treaty with Israel in which Israel's right to exist is not only clearly recognized, but also secured in peace treaties with all its neighbors and, at the same time, the recognition of the Palestinian people and thus also its own statehood is set in motion.”

4. Criminal trial against Trump to start in March:

   Donald Trump has to face his first criminal trial during the current election campaign. In the New York trial concerning an alleged hush money payment to a porn actress, Judge Juan Merchan rejected Trump's motion to dismiss the case. The main trial is therefore likely to begin on March 25 - it is also the first criminal trial against a former president in US history. Trump is charged with 34 counts in the proceedings: the public prosecutor's office accuses him of falsifying business documents. They allege that he used them to conceal damaging information and illegal activities before and after the 2016 presidential election in order to improve his chances in the vote.

5. Alleged Epstein victims sue FBI:

   In the USA, several alleged victims of the deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein have filed a lawsuit against the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) for inadequately investigating the billionaire. The twelve plaintiffs, who are anonymized in the court documents, accuse the FBI of failing to adequately investigate and ignoring Epstein's interest in underage girls.

   "For more than two decades, the Federal Bureau of Investigation enabled Jeffrey Epstein's sex trafficking and sexual abuse of numerous children and young women by failing to do the job the American people expected of it," the complaint filed in a New York court states.

   The civil lawsuit is now intended to clarify "the FBI's role in Epstein's sex trafficking ring once and for all". The twelve plaintiffs are demanding an unspecified compensation payment. Their lawsuit follows last month's release of court documents naming the identities of 150 to 180 people alleged to have had links to Epstein and his former mistress Ghislaine Maxwell.

FACTS

1. The Amazon Rainforest Produces 20% of Earth's Oxygen:

   Often referred to as the "lungs of the Earth," the Amazon rainforest plays a crucial role in producing oxygen and regulating the planet's climate. Its vast expanse of vegetation releases approximately 20% of the world's oxygen through photosynthesis.

2. The World's Longest Continuous Inhabited City:

   Damascus, the capital of Syria, holds the title of the world's oldest continuously inhabited city, with a history dating back over 11,000 years. Throughout its long history, Damascus has been a center of trade, culture, and civilization.

3. The Human Body Contains Traces of Gold:

   Although the amount is minuscule, the average human body contains trace amounts of gold. Approximately 0.2 milligrams of gold are found in the body, primarily in the bloodstream, but it's far too little to have any significant economic value.

4. The Deepest Point in Earth's Oceans:

   Challenger Deep, located in the Mariana Trench in the western Pacific Ocean, holds the title of the deepest known point in Earth's oceans. It plunges to a depth of approximately 10,984 meters (36,037 feet) below sea level, making it deeper than the height of Mount Everest.

5. The World's Shortest Scheduled Flight Lasts Only 2 Minutes:

   The flight between Westray and Papa Westray in Scotland holds the record for the world's shortest scheduled flight. The distance between the two islands is just 2.7 kilometers (1.7 miles), and the flight typically lasts around 2 minutes, depending on wind conditions.

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NEWS

1. Putin interviewed by Carlson:

   Almost two years after his order to attack Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin has spoken for the first time in a US media interview and presented his view of the world situation for more than two hours in a show with Tucker Carlson, the ultra-right former Fox News presenter. The widely publicized interview was conducted by the right-wing presenter Tucker Carlson, who is considered a supporter of conspiracy narratives, and the Kremlin expressed its satisfaction with the coverage after the broadcast. In Western countries, however, the interview was met with criticism.

2. Selenskyj replaces army chief Saluschnyj:

   Almost two years after the start of the Russian war of aggression against Ukraine, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyi has dismissed his army chief Valery Salushnyi. There had been speculation about the general's dismissal for weeks, as the relationship between Zelensky and Salushny is considered tense, partly due to the failed counter-offensive against Russia, and he is now to be replaced by the former commander of the ground forces, Oleksandr Syrsky. Zelenskyi asked Salushnyi to continue to participate in the military command.

3. War opponent Nadezhdin not allowed to run against Putin:

   Many observers had ruled out the candidacy of liberal opposition figure and anti-war activist Boris Nadezhdin in Russia's presidential election from the outset. Now it is official: Russia's Central Election Commission will not allow the 60-year-old to stand as a candidate in the March vote. The election commission, headed by Ella Pamfilova, justified the rejection with a large number of incorrect signatures from supporters, meaning that three other candidates will be standing alongside Kremlin leader Vladimir Putin, who wants to become president for the fifth time. They are regarded as unpromising candidates who either support Putin directly or have no political profile of their own. Nadezhdin wanted to enter the race for the Civic Initiative party.

4. Hamas presents plan for ceasefire:

   The terrorist organization Hamas is proposing a three-stage plan for a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip. This is in response to the mediation efforts of Qatar and Egypt. According to the plan, indirect talks with Israel are to take place in an initial 45-day phase. The aim is to end the military operation and restore calm. In addition, hospitals and refugee camps in the Gaza Strip are to be rebuilt.

5. US military kills Iraqi militia commander:

   A commander and two other members of the Iranian-backed Kataib Hezbollah have been killed in a US drone attack in Iraq. This was announced by the US military. They were attacked on a main road in eastern Baghdad. The commander killed, Abu Bakir al-Saadi, is said to have been responsible for operations in Syria, and according to the spokesman for the Iraqi armed forces, Jahja Rasul, the attack took place in a residential area. The US attack took place "without regard for civilian lives or international law". It is even more worrying that the coalition is constantly deviating from the actual "reasons and goals of its presence" in Iraq.

FACTS

1. Cleopatra VII of Egypt Wasn't Actually Egyptian:

   Despite being one of the most famous figures in ancient history associated with Egypt, Cleopatra VII was of Greek descent. She was a member of the Ptolemaic dynasty, which was of Macedonian Greek origin and ruled Egypt after the death of Alexander the Great.

2. The World's Oldest Known Living Organism:

   Methuselah, a bristlecone pine tree located in the White Mountains of California, holds the title of the world's oldest known living organism. Estimated to be over 4,800 years old, Methuselah has witnessed millennia of human history.

3. The Shortest War in History Lasted Only 38 Minutes:

   The Anglo-Zanzibar War, which took place on August 27, 1896, holds the record for being the shortest war in history. It began at 9:02 AM when the Sultan of Zanzibar's palace was bombarded by British naval forces and ended at 9:40 AM when the Sultan's forces surrendered.

4. The Moon is Moving Away from Earth:

   Due to tidal forces between the Earth and the Moon, the Moon is gradually moving away from our planet at a rate of about 3.8 centimeters (1.5 inches) per year. This means that billions of years ago, the Moon would have appeared larger in the sky than it does today.

5. The Largest Volcano in the Solar System is on Mars:

   Olympus Mons, a shield volcano on Mars, is the largest volcano in the solar system. It stands at a towering height of about 25 kilometers (16 miles) and has a diameter of over 600 kilometers (370 miles), making it nearly three times the height of Mount Everest and about the size of the state of Arizona.

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NEWS

1. UN court largely accepts Ukrainian complaint:

   Russia justified its war of aggression against Ukraine with the accusation of "genocide" against the ethnic Russian population. Ukraine filed a complaint against this with the International Court of Justice, which has now accepted it. In it, Kiev accuses Moscow of wrongly justifying its invasion of Ukraine with a "genocide" of the ethnic Russian population in regions of eastern Ukraine. According to Ukraine, Russia used the accusation as a pretext, thereby violating the UN Convention on Genocide from 1948.

2. Kosovo abolishes the Serbian dinar:

   In Kosovo, people pay with the euro - actually. This is because the Serbian dinar is still used at the border with Serbia. The government of Kosovo now wants to change this, much to the indignation of its large neighbor. Banjska is inhabited almost exclusively by Serbs, and the border with its large neighbor Serbia is close by. The usual currency here is the Serbian dinar. That's why there are no euros or cents as change, only dinars. This is now set to change, because things have been different since 2008. Kosovo has been a separate state since then. But now the Kosovo Central Bank has gone one better: Paying in Kosovo is only legal if you pay in euros, the official currency.

3. Civil rights activist Orlow declared a "foreign agent":

   The well-known Russian civil rights and human rights activist Oleg Orlov has been declared a "foreign agent" by the authorities. The Ministry of Justice in Moscow justified its decision by stating that Orlov had "opposed the special military operation in Ukraine" and had "spread false information about decisions made by public bodies of the Russian Federation". The 70-year-old had also been "involved in the creation of messages and materials for foreign agents". The Russian leadership uses the term "foreign agent" to brand opposition members and critics. Anyone listed as a "foreign agent" in Russia must reckon with numerous disadvantages. The organizations, media and individuals on the register are subject to increased supervision of their finances. The classification is intended to fuel mistrust of them and make their work in Russia more difficult.

4. Israel wants to extend offensive to Rafah:

   Israel plans to extend offensive to Rafah Defense Minister Yoav Gallant announced that the army's successes in the fight against the militant Islamist Palestinian group in the southern city of Chan Yunis meant that troops could also advance to Rafah on the Egyptian border. "We are fulfilling our tasks in Chan Yunis, and we will also reach Rafah and eliminate terrorist elements that threaten us," Gallant said.

5. CEOs of Meta, X, Discord, TikTok and Snap testify:

   The CEOs of five major digital companies, including Mark Zuckerberg of Meta, were questioned by the Senate Judiciary Committee over possible risks that their products may pose to teenagers. In the hearing chamber, Zuckerberg stood and expressed his regret to the families, stating, "I'm sorry for everything you have all gone through." Nobody should have to go through what your families have gone through, which is why we invest so much and will keep working with the industry as a whole to ensure that nobody has to experience what your families have.

   What safety advocates are saying: With growing claims that social media can hurt young users, including worries that it risks leading them to depression or even suicide, some online safety activists at the hearing thought the apologies from tech executives fell far short.

FACTS

1. The Most Remote Inhabited Island:

   Tristan da Cunha, a volcanic archipelago in the South Atlantic Ocean, is often considered the most remote inhabited island in the world. It's located over 2,400 kilometers (1,500 miles) from the nearest inhabited land, Saint Helena.

2. Japan is home to the world's oldest company still in operation:

   While the surface of the Sun can reach temperatures of about 5,500 degrees Celsius (9,932 degrees Fahrenheit), the Earth's core is even hotter. Estimates suggest that the inner core of the Earth can reach temperatures of up to 6,000 degrees Celsius (10,832 degrees Fahrenheit).

3. Humans Share 50% of Their DNA with Bananas:

   Despite the vast biological differences between humans and bananas, scientists have discovered that humans share approximately 50% of their DNA with bananas. This surprising fact underscores the relatedness of all living organisms on Earth through evolutionary history.

4. The Original Name of Bank of America Was Bank of Italy:

   Bank of America, one of the largest banks in the United States, was originally founded in San Francisco in 1904 as the Bank of Italy by Amadeo Giannini. It later merged with another bank and became Bank of America in 1930.

5. Hawaii is Moving Towards Japan:

   Due to plate tectonics, Hawaii is slowly drifting towards Japan at a rate of approximately 10 centimeters (4 inches) per year. This movement is caused by the Pacific Plate, on which Hawaii sits, shifting northwestward.

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NEWS

1. Ex US-President Trump must pay 83 million dollars in compensation:

   Former US President Donald Trump has been sentenced to pay a further compensation payment of 83.3 million dollars - the equivalent of around 77 million euros - in a second defamation trial in New York. This was the second civil case brought by 80-year-old US author E. Jean Carroll against the 77-year-old, who had accused Trump of ruining her reputation by calling her a liar. The former columnist's defense had demanded damages of around 24 million dollars. The sum she has now been awarded significantly exceeds this claim.

2. No ceasefire, but more protection for Palestinians:

   The International Court of Justice (ICJ) has not ordered an end to the Israeli military operation in the Gaza Strip. In its decision, however, the highest UN court called on Israel to curb death and destruction. South Africa had called on the UN's highest court to order Israel to end its military operation in the Gaza Strip.

   The court had previously announced that it would not dismiss the genocide case brought against Israel by South Africa. The Israeli government had requested that the South African case be dismissed. The court has not yet ruled on whether the actions in the Gaza Strip constitute genocide - a decision on the matter could take years.

3. Putin accuses Ukraine of shooting down plane

   Russian President Vladimir Putin has accused Ukraine of probably using foreign missiles to shoot down the Russian military plane that crashed on Wednesday. Preliminary results indicate that the missiles that hit the Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft were American or French, Putin said in a televised speech, adding that the military aircraft had been shot down by Ukrainian air defenses. "I don't know whether they did it on purpose or by mistake, but it is obvious that they did it," Putin added.

4. Microsoft laying off 1900 employees

   Activision Blizzard and Xbox together have seen layoffs totaling 8% of Microsoft's video gaming division. Following the $69 billion acquisition of Activision Blizzard, the company that makes Call of Duty, concluded in October, and significant leadership changes have been made. According to an internal memo published by The Verge, Blizzard President Mike Ybarra has opted to leave, following the resignation of CEO Bobby Kotick in December. Additionally, an impending survival game has been scrapped. The reductions coincide with layoffs at multiple gaming-related businesses, such as Riot Games, Unity, Twitch, and Discord.

5. First execution carried out with nitrogen in USA:

   For the first time in the USA, a man sentenced to death has been executed using a new nitrogen method. The 58-year-old Kenneth Eugene Smith, who was convicted of murder in 1996, died on Thursday evening (local time) in a prison in the US state of Alabama using so-called nitrogen hypoxia, according to Alabama's Attorney General Steve Marshall. During the procedure, a person is injected with nitrogen via a face mask - they die due to the lack of oxygen.

   Journalist Ivana Hrynkiw from the platform al.com, who was present as a media witness, explained at a televised press conference that Smith appeared to have been conscious for several minutes. For about two minutes he had been shaking and writhing. He breathed deeply for several more minutes until those present could no longer see him breathing.

FACTS

1. Regular Exercise is Good for the Brain:

   Physical exercise not only benefits the body but also has positive effects on the brain. Regular physical activity has been associated with improved cognitive function, memory, and attention. Exercise increases blood flow to the brain, promotes the growth of new neurons, and enhances overall brain health.

2. Japan is home to the world's oldest company still in operation:

   The Kongo Gumi construction company was founded in 578 AD and operated continuously for over 1,400 years until it was absorbed by the Takamatsu Construction Group in 2006. This remarkable longevity reflects Japan's rich history and enduring traditions.

3. The Great Emu War:

   In 1932, Australia experienced what is humorously referred to as "The Great Emu War." Australia was faced with an overpopulation of emus damaging crops. The Australian government deployed soldiers armed with machine guns to cull the emu population. The emus, however, proved elusive, and the operation was not as successful as intended, resulting in a humorous episode in Australian history.

4. Venus Rotates Backward:

   Unlike most planets in our solar system that rotate counterclockwise, Venus rotates in the opposite direction, making it one of the few planets with retrograde rotation. Additionally, Venus has an extremely slow rotation, taking about 243 Earth days to complete one rotation, but its day (one full rotation on its axis) is only about 117 Earth days.

5. A Jiffy is a Unit of Time:

   In physics, a "jiffy" is used as an informal unit of time representing the time it takes for light to travel one centimeter in a vacuum, approximately 33.3564 picoseconds. The term is also commonly used to express a short, unspecified amount of time in everyday language.

That’s it for this week, we hope you enjoyed this newsletter issue!

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