Around The world
GT keeps the newswire ticking by bringing you news from around the globe
greenland
Microcontinent spotted
Scientists have reported the discovery of a new microcontinent, named the David Strait Proto Microcontinent, underneath the icy waters of the west coast of Greenland. Stated to be a result of the shift in the tectonic plate movement of the David Strait 33 million years ago, the 19-24 km long continental crust is submerged in water. The Davis Strait, which connects the Labrador Sea and Baffin Bay between Greenland and Canada, has intrigued scientists with its complex geology.
SPAIN
Victory seized
Spain clinched their fourth European Football Championship win, defeating England in the finals on July 14, 2024. The match held in the Olympiastadion, Germany, concluded with the 87th-minute score by Mikel Oyarzabal, breaking the tie to lead by 2-1. Lamine Yamal, 17, became the youngest player to score in the Euro Final. The Spanish winger Nico Williams was declared player of the match. Spain won all seven games and broke the record for goals scored in a single tournament, with 15 goals.
BANGLADESH
Anti-quota protest ignited
On July 15, 2024, students gathered to protest against the 30% job reservation quota for the family members of heroes of the 1971 Independence War. What started as a quaint demonstration soon turned into a clash between those loyal to the ruling party, Awami League, and the protestors at Jahangirnagar University. This resulted in at least 100 students being injured. The police intervened with tear gas and batons, but the wave of protest has now also spread to the capital city of Dhaka with the chants of ‘anti-quota’ and ‘anti-government’ reverberating everywhere.
MOROCCO
World’s first ‘Miss AI’
Moroccan AI-generated beauty influencer Layli, created by Myriam Bessa, CEO of Phoenix AI Kenza, was crowned the world’s first Miss AI. As the winner of the beauty pageant, Layli’s creator will be awarded with 5000 USD cash prize. Layli is renowned for her diverse content encompassing food, culture, fashion, beauty, and travel. She currently boasts a substantial following of 200,000 followers on Instagram.
INDIA
Rescue mission launched
The Comoros-flagged oil tanker named Prestige Falcon overturned on the Omani coast near the port town of Duqm on July 15, 2024. Its crew consisted of 13 Indians and three Sri Lankans, all of whom were reported missing. On July 17, the Indian Navy dispatched a rescue mission on its warship INS Teg, rescuing nine of the 16 lost crew members. The vessel is a 117-metre-long oil products tanker, used for short coastal voyages.
AUSTRALIA
Winner crowned
Nat Thaipun, a trained barista from Switzerland, was hailed as the winner of MasterChef Australia 2024. She battled Josh ‘Pezza’ Perry, a Tasmanian sausage maker, for the title in a two-round finale. She was awarded 250,000 USD and a three-week residency at Crown Melbourne’s ALUMNI restaurant. Pezza, who came second, received 40,000 USD and Savindri Perera came in third, taking home 10,000 USD as prize.
NEW zEALAND
A rare sighting
A unique male spade-toothed whale, which has been sighted only six times since the 1800s, washed ashore on the beach of Otago. The mammal is a deep-sea creature, with limited scientific research about its habitat, breeding habits, and anatomy. The whale is currently in cold storage and genetic samples have been sent to the New Zealand Cetacean Tissue Archive at the University of Auckland.
►France: Gabriel Attal formally resigned from the post of Prime Minister after serving only for four months ►Vietnam: Phuc Quoc named world’s second-best island, after the Maldives, by Travel + Leisure magazine