Author: News Desk

Indonesia: Mount Ruang in Indonesia has erupted again, causing the evacuation of thousands and disrupting flights as thick ash clouds reached over 5km into the sky. There are concerns that debris from the volcano in the North Sulawesi province of the archipelago may fall into the sea and trigger a tsunami, as officials reported that the volcano erupted at least three times on Tuesday. Images released by the Indonesian Disaster Mitigation Agency (BNPB) showed lightning strikes above Ruang’s crater accompanied by flaming red lava and rock clouds shooting skyward. According to the agency, all 843 residents of Ruang Island, the…

United States: The US Drug Enforcement Administration has made a historic decision to reclassify marijuana as a less harmful drug. As a result, Cannabis companies’ stock has surged. Although it does not outright legalize recreational use, the US Justice Department’s recommendation on Tuesday to classify cannabis as a schedule three drug—alongside ketamine and Tylenol with codeine—  paves the way for less severe penalties and increased tax benefits for private investment in the sector. Cannabis is now classified as a schedule one substance, meaning it is on par with heroin and LSD, which means businesses cannot deduct regular business expenses at…

Gaza: Hamas has received Israel’s official response to its latest proposal for a ceasefire in Gaza and will review the document before sending a reply. As stated in a statement released by the group on Saturday, deputy Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya “has received today the official response of the Zionist occupation to the proposal presented to the Egyptian and the Qatari mediators on April 13.” Negotiations to achieve a ceasefire are at a standstill after more than six months of Israel’s deadly bombardment on the Gaza Strip. Hamas is adamant that any agreement with Israel must terminate Israel’s war on…

According to recent studies, by the middle of the century, climate change may be the primary cause of the reduction in biodiversity. An international team of experts examined how changes in land-use patterns affected biodiversity and discovered that there may have been a 2–11 percent global reduction in biodiversity. “By including all world regions in our model, we were able to fill many blind spots and address criticism of other approaches working with fragmented and potentially biased data,” said Henrique Pereira, research group head at the German Centre for Integrative Biodiversity Research (iDiv), and the first author of the study…

United States: The US prosecutors have given back 30 stolen antiquities to Cambodia and Indonesia. These artefacts were illegally obtained and sold by American antiquities dealers and traffickers. Alvin Bragg, the district attorney for Manhattan, stated in a statement that the artifacts were worth $3 million in all. Bragg said he had returned 27 pieces to Phnom Penh and three to Jakarta in two recent repatriation ceremonies, including a bronze statue of the Hindu deity Shiva, which was looted from Cambodia, and a stone bas-relief sculpture of two royal figures from the Majapahit empire, which reigned between the 13th and…

There are serious worries about how microplastics may affect both human and animal health because it is common in our surroundings. According to a recent study eating these microscopic plastic particles is causing them to enter human bodies and accumulate in the brains of people. The study’s authors claim that swallowed microplastics travel to the brain, liver, and kidneys from the gut. Skin contact, inhalation, or ingestion (by trophic transfer or contaminated food) could be the entry point. “Our findings recommend that microplastic exposure can lead to metabolic changes in these tissues, indicating potential systemic effects. The implications of our…

North Korea: North Korea has tested a “super-large warhead” intended for a strategic cruise missile and launched a novel kind of anti-aircraft missile according to official media. “The DPRK Missile Administration has conducted a power test of a super-large warhead designed for ‘Hwasal-1 Ra-3’ strategic cruise missile”, KCNA news agency reported on Saturday, referring to North Korea by an abbreviation for its official name – Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. North Korea also conducted a test launch of a “Pyoljji-1-2,” a “new-type anti-aircraft missile,” according to official media. Without going into further information, KCNA continued, saying that “a certain goal…

United States: A recent United Nations report has revealed that cocaine seizures in the West African Sahel region have skyrocketed, suggesting that the region plagued by conflict is increasingly being used as a major gateway for drug trafficking. The UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) released a study stating that in 2022, 1,466kg (3,232 pounds) of cocaine were intercepted in Mali, Chad, Burkina Faso, and Niger, as opposed to an average of 13kg (28.7 pounds) between 2013 and 2020. As per the data, cocaine is the most confiscated substance in the Sahel region, following cannabis resin. The Sahel is…

Dubai: The inaugural Global AI Show and Global Blockchain Show wrapped up on April 16 and 17, 2024, at the Grand Hyatt in Dubai, having persevered despite the heavy rainfall that led to the cancellation of other events in the city. Organized by VAP Group, the events attracted thousands of attendees and featured the launch of two digital media subsidiaries, Times of AI and Times of Blockchain, to foster advancements in their respective fields. The Global AI Show highlighted transformative AI technologies with sessions from experts like Jamie Metzl on AI, genetics, and biotechnology, and Dr. Divya Chander on brain-machine…

Haiti: Haiti has legally instituted a transitional council to fill a leadership void left by the departure of the current prime minister and to bring peace to the Caribbean nation beset by gang violence. Ariel Henry, the prime minister, tendered his resignation last month amid a spate of armed gang attacks in Port-au-Prince. The Presidential Transitional Council was established, as per a proclamation published in the official gazette. Henry did not respond to the decree’s release right away, and there are still concerns about the nine-member council’s sustainability in the absence of information regarding when it will be seated and…