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| Hey Insiders,
Today we bring you the latest news about the Wagner group in Russia, military expenditure in Russia, and the upcoming SpaceX launch of Europe's Euclid.
These stories, plus a 21-year-old setting a new world record for the fastest time of solving a puzzle cube, are just some of what you'll find in today's newsletter. You will find quick news hits, our events calendar, and a knowledge hub as you scroll down.
Happy reading! Vildana
p/vildana-b | |
| 1 | | According to their leader, Russian mercenaries who posed a significant challenge to President Vladimir Putin's power have agreed to turn back to avoid bloodshed. The Wagner private army, led by former Putin ally Yevgeny Prigozhin, surged toward Moscow and reached within 200 km of the capital. More: - Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko brokered the decision to halt further movement across Russia by the Wagner group in return for guarantees of their safety.
- The Kremlin announced that Prigozhin would have the case against him dropped and move to Belarus under the agreement.
- The move by the Wagner forces is seen as a de-escalation and a relief for President Putin's grip on power.
- The rebellion exposed chaos and a lack of control in Russia, according to Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy.
- Western capitals, including the U.S., closely monitored the situation, with President Joe Biden speaking with leaders of France, Germany, and Britain.
- The British defense ministry described the situation as the most significant challenge to the Russian state recently.
Zoom Out: - According to NBC News, U.S. officials refrained from commenting on the withdrawal of Wagner Group mercenaries during their attempted coup in Moscow on Saturday, but they emphasized that the Biden administration will maintain vigilance and closely observe the unfolding events in Russia.
- The region surrounding Rostov is an important oil, gas, and grain hub.
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What the numbers say: According to SIPRI, Russia's military expenses during 2022 reached approximately $86.4B, marking a 31% increase from the previous year. The country's highest recorded military expenditure was nearly $88.4B in 2013.
Relevance: The U.S. has the largest military budget globally, with an expenditure of around $877B in 2022, accounting for 39% of the global spending. China and India follow in second and third place, respectively. In comparison, Russia ranks third in military spending, representing almost 4% of the total. In 2021, Russia was fifth, with the U.S., China, India, and Saudi Arabia leading the list. | | | |
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| 3 | | Euclid, a European probe, will launch on July 1 to explore the dark universe, aiming to map the extent and influence of dark matter and dark energy. The mission will provide insights into the universe's early growth, galaxy formation, and accelerating the universe's expansion. More: - Euclid will launch atop a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket from Florida's Cape Canaveral Space Force Station on July 1.
- The probe will operate in deep space from the Earth-sun Lagrange Point 2 (L2), about 930,000 miles (1.5 million km) from Earth.
- With a large field of view, Euclid will image half a square degree of the sky at a time, allowing for comprehensive sky surveys.
- The commissioning period will last approximately eight months, including transit to L2, and the first images will be released a few months after launch.
- Euclid aims to observe 15,000 square degrees of the sky at an unprecedented resolution and depth, providing valuable data for potential discoveries.
Zoom Out: | | | |
| 4 | | A 21-year-old boy named Max Park has set a new world record by solving a Rubik's Cube in an astonishing three seconds. Park achieved this incredible feat at a speed-cubing event in Long Beach, California, breaking the previous record of 3.47 seconds set by Yusheng Du in 2018. More: - Park's lightning-fast solving abilities and well-honed algorithms have amazed enthusiasts and experts.
- With his muscle memory and skill, Park maneuvered the Rubik's Cube flawlessly, impressing spectators.
- Park holds multiple other records for solving puzzle cubes of various sizes, including the 4x4x4, 5x5x5, 6x6x6, and 7x7x7 cubes.
- It is worth mentioning that Park has autism, and his parents have found cubing beneficial therapy for him.
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| 5 | | Malaysia plans to take legal action against Facebook's parent company, Meta Platforms, for not removing "undesirable" content. The Malaysian government aims to address provocative posts related to race, religion, and other sensitive topics. More: - The Malaysian Communications and Multimedia Commission accuses Facebook of not adequately addressing the issue despite repeated requests.
- Legal action is seen as necessary to ensure cybersecurity accountability and protect consumers.
- Facebook is Malaysia's largest social media platform, with approximately 60% of the population having registered accounts.
- Similar regulatory scrutiny over content exists globally, with governments frequently requesting takedowns from social media platforms.
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| 6 | | "Titanic" director James Cameron criticized the design of the imploded Titan submersible, calling it "critically flawed" and an "insidious" mistake. The submersible, built by OceanGate, suffered a total implosion during a deep-sea expedition to the wreck of the RMS Titanic, resulting in the deaths of all five passengers onboard. More: - According to Cameron, OceanGate was warned about potential design dangers as early as 2018, but the concerns were not adequately addressed, leading to the catastrophic failure.
- Cameron drew parallels between the Titan implosion and the sinking of the Titanic, highlighting the failure to heed warnings in both cases.
- Robert Ballard, who discovered the Titanic wreck, noted that while the Titan was not certified by any oceanic agency, the industry generally follows proper engineering practices to ensure the safety of submersibles.
Zoom Out: - In a blog post from 2019, OceanGate said the way that Titan had been designed fell outside the accepted system; however, it "does not mean that OceanGate does not meet standards where they apply."
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| 8 | | Art of the Day: 
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