Every fall, over a billion Hindus, Sikhs, and Jains worldwide celebrate Diwali. The five-day festival, which commemorates the triumph of good over evil, is India's biggest holiday. The ancient festival's date is based on the Hindu lunar calendar and differs annually. This year, Deepavali, or the Festival of Lights, as it is also called, will be observed from October 22nd to October 26th....
Read news articleOn September 25, 2022, Jewish people worldwide will observe Rosh Hashanah, the Jewish New Year. The two-day celebration is held annually on the first and second days of Tishrei — the first month of the Jewish year. While the holiday's exact date changes each year, it is almost always in September or October....
Read news articleThe giant African land snail (GALS) has returned to Florida for a third time. The invasive species was first detected in the state in 1969. It took seven years and $1 million to get rid of them. The gastropods reappeared in 2011 and were eradicated in 2021 at a cost of $23 million. On June 23, 2022, Florida officials reported that the snails had been found in the New Port Richey area of Pasco County....
Read news articleA famous portrait of former British Prime Minister, Sir Winston Churchill, has been stolen from the Fairmont Château Laurier in Ottawa, Canada. It has been replaced with a copy. The Hollywood-like heist was uncovered on August 19, 2022, after an employee noticed the portrait's frame did not match that of the other photographs in the hotel's reading room....
Read news articleQueen Elizabeth II, the United Kingdom's longest-serving monarch, died at Balmoral Castle in Scotland on September 8, 2022. She was 96. Her historic 70-year reign spanned several wars, a pandemic, 15 British prime ministers, and 14 US Presidents! Her eldest son, Prince Charles, was sworn in as King of England on September 10, 2022....
Read news articleOn September 11, 2022, Americans will mark the 21st anniversary of the deadliest terrorist attacks in US history. The unprovoked act of violence was planned and executed by members of the Islamic extremist organization al-Qaeda. The tragedy resulted in the deaths of 2,977 innocent people and altered life as we knew it forever....
Read news articleOn June 28, 2022, Carson Pickett made history as the first athlete with a limb difference to play on the US women's national soccer team (USWNT). The 28-year-old, who filled in for defender Emily Fox, was in the game for the entire 90 minutes. She was instrumental in her team's 2-0 victory in the friendly game against Colombia. Pickett has also represented the US on the under-17 and under-23 national teams....
Read news articleThe James Webb Space Telescope (Webb) was launched into space on December 25, 2021, with high expectations. Scientists hoped the $10 billion space observatory would allow them to explore the origins of the Universe, its galaxies, and perhaps even the formation of the first stars. The initial photos, released by NASA on July 12, 2022, indicate that Webb is living up to its promise....
Read news articleOn Sunday, June 19, 2022, Americans will observe both Father's Day and Juneteenth, the nation's youngest federal holiday. Officially recognized in 2021, it commemorates the end of slavery in the United States. On this day in 1865, America's last enslaved people — a group in Texas — were notified that slavery had been made illegal and that they were free....
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