Author: News Desk

Brazil: Rio Grande do Sul, the southernmost state of Brazil, has seen at least 29 fatal floods, with local authorities calling it “the most critical flooding recorded in history.” According to Rio Grande do Sul’s civil defense, the storms, which have wreaked the most havoc on the state in recent memory, have also left 10,242 people displaced in 154 communities and 60 individuals missing. “It’s not just another critical case; it’s the most critical that the state will probably have recorded in its history,” state governor Eduardo Leite said in a live broadcast on social media, adding that the situation…

China: China’s ambitious space program could take a significant stride ahead with the launch of an uncrewed lunar mission that attempts to retrieve samples from the moon’s far side for the first time. The Chang’e-6 is scheduled to launch between 8.30 and 11 a.m. GMT, and a successful mission would significantly support China’s goal of landing a man on the moon by 2030. But in the midst of what the president of NASA has described as a new “space race,” Beijing’s geopolitical aspirations have also alarmed China’s main adversary, the US, over the mission. China has advanced its lunar exploration…

United States: Apple’s revenue has decreased for the fifth straight quarter, primarily due to the biggest drop in iPhone sales since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic. The tech giant with headquarters in California said on Thursday that it made $23.6 billion on $90.8 billion in revenue from January to March. The iPhone saw a 10 percent decline in sales to $45.7 billion, as Chinese competitors like Huawei and Xiaomi became more formidable. Greater China, one of Apple’s most significant regions, saw an almost 8 percent fall in sales, from $17.8 billion to $16.4 billion year over year. The decline…

Malaysia: Microsoft has announced that it will invest $2.2 billion in artificial intelligence and cloud infrastructure to assist Malaysia’s digital transformation. This statement follows similar ones made in Indonesia and Thailand. In addition to establishing an AI Center of Excellence, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella announced plans to train and educate 200,000 individuals in the nation of Southeast Asia on Thursday. “We are committed to supporting Malaysia’s AI transformation and ensure it benefits all Malaysians,” Nadella said as he visited Kuala Lumpur on the final stop of a three-nation tour of Southeast Asia. “Our investments in digital infrastructure and skilling will…

Solomon Islands: The Solomon Islands’ legislators have chosen Jeremiah Manele, a former foreign minister, to be their new prime minister. In a secret ballot on Thursday, Manele, who has promised to uphold the Pacific nation’s China-friendly foreign policy, received 31 votes. Longtime opposition leader Matthew Wale, his opponent, received eighteen votes. To prevent any violence, there was increased security throughout the 50-member parliament vote in Honiara, the nation’s capital, with police squadrons circling the parliamentary grounds. Speaking outside the parliament, Manele commended the absence of previous acts of violence. He declared, “The people have spoken.” “Today, we have demonstrated to…

United States: A hunger crisis is predicted in some areas of the war-torn Palestinian territory, and US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has encouraged Israeli officials to enhance the facilitation of humanitarian relief shipments to Gaza. On Wednesday, Blinken visited Kerem Shalom, the Israeli border crossing into Gaza, which is located roughly 3 km (2 miles) from Rafah, the southern city also known to Palestinians as Karem Abu Salem. The top US envoy also paid a visit to Ashdod, Israel’s biggest port, praising the “progress” that has been made in recent weeks regarding humanitarian access, while emphasizing the need for…

Malaysia: Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has declared a significant increase in civil servants’ salaries, surpassing 13 percent, in response to escalating costs and the devaluation of the local currency. Anwar declared that 10 billion ringgit ($2.10 billion) would be set aside to enable the “best increase in history” starting in December during a speech on Wednesday in honour of Labor Day. The finance minister, Anwar, stated that the pay increase will guarantee civil officials a minimum income of 2,000 ringgit ($420) per month. According to the state-run news agency Bernama, Anwar said, “The overall minimum income, which includes salary…

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…