Author: kunjal.divecha

Russian President Vladimir Putin frequently boasts that his country is leading the world in developing hypersonic weapons, which travel at more than five times the speed of sound. However, a troubling trend has emerged alongside these advancements: a series of arrests and treason charges against Russian physicists working on the science underpinning these technologies. Since 2015, at least 12 scientists associated with hypersonic research have been arrested, with many facing severe consequences. Allegations and Closed-Door Trials The Russian Federal Security Service (FSB) has spearheaded these arrests, alleging that the scientists committed high treason by passing state secrets to foreign countries.…

On Sunday, Israel’s telecoms regulator extended the ban on Al Jazeera’s operations for another 45 days, citing national security concerns. This decision follows the government’s initial 35-day ban, which had been upheld by a Tel Aviv court last week. The initial ban ended on Saturday, and its extension marks a significant moment in the ongoing conflict between media freedom and national security. Court Rulings and Legal Challenges The Supreme Court of Israel, in a separate ruling on a petition filed by Al Jazeera against the closure, described the government’s measure as “precedent-setting.” The court has given the Israeli government until…

A major search operation is underway on the Greek island of Symi for Dr. Michael Mosley, a renowned British doctor and medical journalist, who went missing while on holiday. Mosley, best known for popularising intermittent fasting for weight loss, set off on a hike along St. Nicholas Beach at 1:30 pm on Wednesday but did not return. Greek police have since mobilised a broad search effort, involving firefighters, civil protection personnel, volunteers, a sniffer dog, a helicopter, and drones.Authorities are focusing their search on the rugged 3km area between Agios Nikolaos and Symi’s main town, where Mosley was last seen.…

In a bid to address Japan’s critically low birth rates, the Tokyo administration has launched a groundbreaking initiative: a government-sponsored dating app. This effort comes amid a dire demographic crisis that threatens the future of the nation. Japan’s birth rates have been steadily declining for the past eight years, hitting a new low in 2023 with only 758,631 births. This decline is coupled with a significant drop in marriages, with only 489,281 weddings recorded last year—the first time in 90 years the number has fallen below 500,000.The direness of the circumstance was underscored by Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, who…

In a significant milestone for the United Kingdom, British banknotes bearing the image of King Charles III have entered circulation for the first time. This marks nearly two years since he succeeded his mother, Queen Elizabeth II, who passed away in September 2022. The new banknotes, which carry values of £5, £10, £20, and £50, will circulate alongside the existing notes featuring the late Queen.The introduction of these banknotes follows the earlier circulation of coins bearing Charles’s head in December 2022. Despite the increasing preference for physical and online bank cards for transactions, Bank of England governor Andrew Bailey highlighted…

In the early hours of June 4, 2024, a joint team comprising Air Force Global Strike Command (AFGSC) Airmen and Space Force Guardians successfully launched an unarmed Minuteman III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from Vandenberg Space Force Base in California. This launch, occurring at precisely 12:56 a.m. Pacific Time, is part of a series of routine tests designed to validate the United States’ nuclear deterrent capabilities. These tests, which have been conducted over 300 times before, aim to demonstrate the safety, security, reliability, and effectiveness of the nation’s ICBM force.The Minuteman III, equipped with a single re-entry vehicle, traveled approximately…

In a landmark moment for Pakistan, Dr. Helen Mary Roberts, a Christian woman, has been promoted to the rank of brigadier in the Pakistan Army. This significant achievement marks the first time in the country’s 77-year history that a Christian woman has attained such a prestigious rank. Dr. Roberts, a senior pathologist, has served in the Pakistan Army Medical Corps for over two decades, earning widespread respect and recognition for her dedication and expertise.Dr. Roberts’ promotion comes at a time of heightened attacks on minorities in the country. Recently, the Christian community protested the lynching of a Christian factory owner…

China achieved a significant milestone in space exploration by landing the uncrewed Chang’e-6 spacecraft on the far side of the moon on Sunday. This mission marks a pivotal moment in China’s ambitious lunar program, aiming to retrieve the world’s first rock and soil samples from the moon’s dark hemisphere. The successful landing of Chang’e-6 at 6:23 am Beijing time in the South Pole-Aitken Basin, a colossal impact crater, underscores China’s increasing stature in the global space race, where nations such as the United States aspire to utilise lunar resources to support long-term astronaut missions and establish moon bases within the…

Pride Month: Celebrating Diversity and Resilience in June Pride Month, celebrated each year in June, is a time to honour the LGBTQ+ community and commemorate the significant strides made towards equality and acceptance. The month-long celebration is marked by parades, festivals, educational events, and various forms of activism, aiming to promote awareness, solidarity, and inclusivity. But why June? The choice of this month is deeply rooted in history, reflecting a pivotal moment in the LGBTQ+ rights movement. The Historical Significance of June The origins of Pride Month date back to the Stonewall Riots, which began on June 28, 1969, in…

Astronomers from an international team have announced the groundbreaking discovery of the two earliest and most distant galaxies ever observed, dating back a mere 300 million years after the Big Bang. This significant milestone in the exploration of the early universe was achieved using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope (JWST). The JWST Advanced Deep Extragalactic Survey (JADES) team, led by Daniel Eisenstein from the Center for Astrophysics | Harvard & Smithsonian (CfA), was instrumental in this achievement. Key contributors from CfA include research scientists Ben Johnson and Phillip Cargile, along with Harvard Ph.D. student Zihao Wu.The extraordinary findings display the…