Author: News Desk

France: Lionel Messi, the legendary Argentinian footballer, has announced his decision to join Major League Soccer (MLS) club Inter Miami after his stint with Paris Saint-Germain (PSG), rejecting a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia. The MLS expressed its excitement about Messi’s impending move, stating in a statement, “We are pleased that Lionel Messi has stated that he intends to join Inter Miami and [MLS] this summer…we look forward to welcoming one of the greatest players of all time to our league.” The MLS has seen the likes of David Beckham, Zlatan Ibrahimovic, and Lorenzo Insigne grace its fields in recent…

Ukraine: Former NATO Secretary General Mr. Anders Rasmussen has stated that a group of NATO countries may be willing to put troops on the ground in Ukraine if member states, including the US, do not provide tangible security guarantees to Kyiv at the alliance’s summit in Vilnius. Mr. Rasmussen, who has been acting as official adviser to the Ukrainian President Mr. Volodymyr Zelenskiy on Ukraine’s place in a future European security architecture, has been touring Europe and Washington to gauge the shifting mood before the critical summit starts on July 11. The former NATO Secretary General also warned that even…

Canada: Intense wildfires ravaging Canada have prompted warnings of hazardous air quality for tens of millions of people in North America. Smoke from the fires has engulfed large areas of Ontario and Quebec, casting an orange haze over the northeastern United States. Cities like Toronto and New York experienced some of the world’s worst air quality overnight. Quebec alone is currently battling 160 wildfires, leading officials to predict that the country is headed for its most severe wildfire season on record. Warmer and drier spring conditions have been identified as the main contributing factors. Environment Canada issued its highest air…

India: Air India has announced plans to dispatch a replacement aircraft to transport stranded passengers from a Delhi-San Francisco flight that made an emergency landing in Russia. The flight, carrying 216 passengers and 16 crew members, experienced an engine issue on 6th June 2023, prompting the unscheduled landing at Magadan airport in Russia’s Far East region. The nature of the engine snag has not been disclosed. In a statement, Air India confirmed its intention to operate a flight from Russia to San Francisco, subject to necessary regulatory clearances. The airline also assured that the ferry flight would carry essential supplies,…

Fiji: The Fijian Prime Minister Mr. Sitiveni Rabuka has stated that a police exchange agreement with China is under review as his government considers whether to cancel it outright. In 2011, Fiji’s government signed a memorandum of understanding enabling Fijian police officers to be trained in China. It also saw Chinese officers deployed to Fiji. But since being voted into power in a general election six months ago, Mr. Rabuka’s coalition government has shown more scepticism about close ties with Beijing. During a state visit to New Zealand, the Fijian premier indicated the agreement was on ice as deliberations continued.…

Saudi Arabia: US Secretary of State Mr. Antony Blinken has embarked on a diplomatic mission to mend relations between the United States and Saudi Arabia. In a meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the two leaders expressed their commitment to advancing stability, security, and prosperity in the Middle East and beyond. Mr. Blinken highlighted the importance of progress on human rights in strengthening bilateral relations and thanked Saudi Arabia for its assistance in evacuating US citizens from Sudan and its diplomatic efforts to resolve conflicts in Sudan. This visit follows a trip by White House national security adviser…

Australia: Commonwealth Bank, Australia’s largest bank, has been hit with a record-breaking fine of $3.55 million for violating spam laws. The Australian Communications and Media Authority (ACMA) imposed the penalty after the bank sent 65 million emails to customers that breached the Spam Act. The majority of these marketing emails required customers to log in to unsubscribe, which was deemed unlawful under new regulations that came into effect in April 2021. The updated regulations mandate that marketers must provide an easy unsubscribe option without requiring customers to log in. The breaches occurred following the Commonwealth Bank’s update of its electronic…

Arctic: A new study has indicated that it is now too late to prevent the decline of summer Arctic sea ice, and scientists warn that measures should be taken to prepare for the anticipated increase in extreme weather events across the northern hemisphere as a consequence. The analysis indicates that even with substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, the Arctic is expected to be devoid of ice in September within the next few decades. In fact, if emissions decline slowly or continue to rise, the first ice-free summer could occur as early as the 2030s, ten years earlier than previously…

Ukraine: Ukraine’s military has accused Russian forces of blowing up a major dam in southern Ukraine, a claim denied by the Moscow-installed official in the affected region. The dam’s destruction is believed to be an attempt to hinder the Ukrainian counteroffensive. Ukrainian officials have described the consequences as catastrophic, warning of extensive damage to settlements and the environment. The scale of destruction is currently being assessed, and concerns are mounting over potential flooding along the Dnipro River. The Ukrainian Armed Forces’ southern command and military administration for the Kherson region have urged residents in the vicinity of the right bank…

United States: Apple has officially unveiled a much-anticipated augmented reality headset priced at $3,499, the Apple Vision Pro, in its first major hardware launch for almost a decade. “With Vision Pro, you’re no longer limited by a display. Your surroundings become an infinite canvas. Vision Pro blends digital content into the space around us. It will introduce us to spatial computing,” Apple’s chief executive, Tim Cook, stated. The headset allows users to interact with “apps and experiences”, as Apple vice president of human interface design Mr. Alan Dye said, in an augmented reality (AR) version of their own surroundings or…