Update from Iran

Two rockets struck the Green Zone in Baghdad, Iraq yesterday afternoon - a statement from the Iraqi military said there were no casualties. The incident came hours after President Trump addressed the media Wednesday regarding an Iranian missile strike on two Iraqi military bases earlier that morning (photos).

Royal Family Announcement

On Wednesday, Prince Harry and his wife Meghan Markle announced their intentions to step back from their roles as senior members of the British royal family. They also revealed plans to split their time between the U.S. and the U.K., as well as work towards becoming financially independent from the crown.

No Special Election in CA

On Tuesday, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA 50th) announced plans to resign effective next week after pleading guilty to charges of campaign finance violations last month. The next day, a spokeswoman for California Governor Gavin Newsom (D) said a special election would not be held to replace Hunter due to the timing of his resignation.

Closed Captions

Macy’s announced plans to close 28 Macy’s stores and one Bloomingdale’s store, largely in the eastern half of the United States. Macy’s stock closed up 2.4 percent on the day, as the retailer also disclosed holiday sales that were not as bad as some investors feared - a 0.6 percent year-to-year decrease for November and December.

W is for Walmart

Walmart has officially unveiled its all-new grocery delivery technology - called the Alphabot (developed by Alert Innovation) - which had been stealthily tested at a Salem, NH location since the middle of last year. Housed in a 20,000 square foot addition to the store, Alphabot uses autonomous carts to bring refrigerated items, frozen goods, and other shelf-stable foods to a Walmart employee who then double-checks and bags the order.

Let’s Hang

China-based autonomous passenger drone startup EHang completed its first successful test on U.S. soil in Raleigh, NC Tuesday night. The demonstration of the self-flying EHang 216 included a trip with North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper on board the two-seat aircraft, which has already been successfully tested in different parts of Europe and Asia.

Fountain of Youth

14-year-old Tabay Atkins has shown that you’re never too young to change the world with your wisdom and teaching. His mother, Sahel, was diagnosed with stage 3 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma when he was only six years old, necessitating aggressive treatment that limited her time with Tabay as she fought for her life. After completing her chemotherapy, Sahel looked for an active way to heal and regain her physical strength, and although she was initially skeptical of yoga, she decided to try it.

Tabay became fascinated by how much of a positive effect yoga had on his mother’s mood and healing process, and made it his mission to help other people receive those same benefits. At the ripe old age of seven, Tabay became the youngest yoga teacher in the United States - now 14 years old, Tabay has seven yoga teacher certifications under his belt, and has taught around the world to grateful students who are touched and inspired by his giving spirit.

Lose Yourself

In 2018, Omar Thaher was ready for a life change and began a journey that completely changed his mental and physical health. 19-year-old Omar suffered from depression and was addicted to food, using it as a coping mechanism. Determined to lose weight and feel better, Omar began by simply showing up at the gym every day and doing what he could, starting with light weights and short amounts of cardio.

Over the course of a year, Omar lost over 200 lbs, inspiring others to believe in themselves and stay determined through regular updates on his Instagram page. Omar’s journey to improved health, happiness, and confidence reminds us that completing resolutions is about committing to small steps and showing up for ourselves, every single day of the year.