Author: News Desk

United Kingdom: A cutting-edge satellite called Euclid, built in Europe, has been successfully launched from Florida on a mission to investigate the mysteries of dark energy and dark matter, unseen forces scientists say account for 95 percent of the known universe. Scientists hope that the insights gained from the $1.4 billion European Space Agency (ESA) mission will revolutionise astrophysics and enhance our understanding of gravity itself. Euclid, named after the renowned Greek mathematician, was carried into space aboard a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station. After a brief flight, the two-tonne spacecraft will embark on a month-long…

Haiti: Mr. Antonio Guterres has arrived in Haiti on his first visit as UN secretary-general in a bid to shine a spotlight on the Caribbean nation’s worsening plight and request a multinational force to stabilise the country. “I’m in Port-au-Prince to express my full solidarity with the Haitian people and call on the international community to continue to stand with Haiti, including with a robust international force to assist the Haitian National Police,” Mr. Guterres posted on Twitter a few minutes after his arrival. Mr. Ricard Pierre, Haiti’s minister of planning and external cooperation, warned the country could descend into…

Australia: Australia has become the first country to officially classify psychedelics as medicines at a national level. In a groundbreaking decision earlier this year, the country’s conservative medicine regulator granted approval for the use of psychedelics in therapy sessions. The move allows the use of psilocybin, the active compound in magic mushrooms, for treating treatment-resistant depression and MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy, for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). The new regulations will be a significant milestone in the field of psychedelic medicine. While access to these drugs will initially be limited and expensive, experts and patients alike are celebrating the development…

Ukraine: CIA Director Mr. William Burns recently made a trip to Ukraine where he met with Ukrainian President Mr. Volodymyr Zelensky and intelligence officials, according to a US official. The purpose of the visit was to reaffirm the United States’ commitment to sharing intelligence and supporting Ukraine in defending itself against Russian aggression. The official stated that Director Mr. Burns has been regularly visiting Ukraine since Russia’s recent acts of aggression began over a year ago. During his trip, he held meetings with Ukrainian intelligence counterparts and President Mr. Zelensky. The discussions aimed to strengthen the partnership between the two…

London, UK: Euclid, Europe’s space telescope, is set to launch on 1st July 2023 from Cape Canaveral in Florida, marking the first-ever mission dedicated to unraveling the mysteries of dark energy and dark matter in the universe. Originally planned for launch using Russia’s Soyuz rockets, the European Space Agency turned to Mr. Elon Musk’s SpaceX due to the Russian rockets being unavailable due to sanctions related to the war in Ukraine. After a month-long journey through space, Euclid will join the James Webb Space Telescope at a point called the second Lagrange Point, about 1.5 million kilometers away from Earth.…

United States: Apple Inc reached a significant milestone on 30th June 2023 as its stock market value surpassed $3 trillion for the first time. This achievement was fueled by positive signs of improving inflation and optimism surrounding Apple’s expansion into new markets. During the trading session, Apple’s shares rose by 2.3 percent to reach $193.97, resulting in a market capitalization of $3.05 trillion, according to Refinitiv data. Previously, Apple had briefly exceeded the $3 trillion mark on 3rd January, 2022, but only in intraday trading. The recent increase in Apple’s shares, which have risen by 49 percent so far in…

United States: A new review has stated that the US State Department failed to sufficiently anticipate the rapid downfall of the Afghan government in 2021. The report adds to the criticism surrounding the chaotic withdrawal of the United States from Afghanistan. The After Action Review (AAR) lauded the actions of State Department staff, remarking that they worked “heroically” under extreme “stress, demands, and risks,” adding that the department should have better prepared for the fall of the Afghan capital, Kabul. The internationally backed Afghan government collapsed, and then-President Mr. Ashraf Ghani fled the country in August 2021 as the Taliban…

Brazil: A majority of the highest electoral court in Brazil has voted to prevent former President Mr. Jair Bolsonaro from holding public office until 2030 over his conduct during last year’s tightly contested elections. The Superior Electoral Tribunal (TSE), consisting of seven members, voted five-to-two on Friday to find the far-right leader guilty of abusing his power by attempting to undermine the country’s electronic voting system. Mr. Bolsonaro has been accused of encouraging his supporters to reject his narrow defeat to left-wing President Mr. Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva in the October elections, which resulted in an attack on government…

United States: The United Nations General Assembly has passed a resolution to establish an independent institution that will determine the fate of over 130,000 individuals who went missing during the Syrian conflict. The resolution was adopted with 83 votes in favour, 11 opposed, and 62 abstentions. Notably, Syria, along with Russia, China, Belarus, North Korea, Cuba, and Iran, voted against the resolution, stating that they will not cooperate with the new institution. The resolution, led by Luxembourg, acknowledges the lack of progress in addressing the suffering of families who have lost loved ones during the 12-year Syrian conflict. It authorizes…

Pakistan: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has announced a staff-level agreement with Pakistan for a $3 billion standby arrangement, providing much-needed relief to the country on the brink of default. The deal, awaiting approval by the IMF board next month, comes after an eight-month delay and offers respite to Pakistan, which is grappling with a severe balance of payments crisis and depleting foreign exchange reserves. Pakistan Finance Minister Mr. Ishaq Dar Tweeted that the deal was expected to be finalized soon. Pakistan’s economy has been facing its worst crisis in decades, marked by high inflation and foreign exchange reserves barely…