Author: Onu Akter

Dr. Sohan Dasgupta, appointed earlier this year as the political head of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), announced his departure after a four-month tenure, declaring his mission to reposition the U.S. aid agency as a strategic foreign policy and national security tool “accomplished.” Founded in 2004, MCC provides five-year infrastructure and energy compacts to developing nations that meet strict governance standards. Unlike traditional aid programs, its investments are designed to promote long-term economic growth and open markets for U.S. companies. Under Dasgupta, MCC staff were encouraged to evaluate projects based on U.S. strategic and economic benefits, including alignment with partner…

Nvidia has become the world’s most valuable publicly traded company, with a market capitalization exceeding $3.2 trillion (£2.6tn)—a tenfold increase in just five years. The chipmaker’s hardware powers the global AI boom, providing the backbone for training AI models and running data centers worldwide. In its latest quarterly results, Nvidia reported $46.7bn (£34.5bn) in sales, up 56% year-on-year, with net profits of $26.4bn (£19.5bn) and gross margins exceeding 70%. Its market cap now surpasses Apple by $700bn, Google by $1.3tn, and Meta by $1.9tn. However, analysts warn that Nvidia’s growth could be at risk if the AI sector overheats. Concerns…

U.S. corn and soybean producers are sounding alarms over plummeting crop prices and rising production costs, warning of mounting financial stress across rural America. The National Corn Growers Association (NCGA) reported that corn prices have dropped more than 50% from their 2022 peak, while production costs have declined by just 3%, resulting in losses of 85 cents per bushel. The association called on Congress and the Trump administration to boost demand through higher ethanol blends and expanded foreign market access. Similarly, the American Soybean Association cautioned that U.S. soybean farmers are facing a “trade and financial precipice.” Ongoing tariff retaliation…

Israeli forces conducted an airstrike on Saturday targeting a senior Hamas operative in Gaza City, according to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) and Shin Bet. While the official statement did not confirm the individual’s identity, multiple Hebrew media outlets reported that the target was Hudayfa Samir Abdallah al-Kahlout, better known by his nom de guerre, Abu Obeida, the longtime spokesman for Hamas’s military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades. Abu Obeida has served as the face of Hamas military communications since 2004, gaining prominence in 2006 when he announced the kidnapping of Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit. Known for appearing masked…

Miss England is stirring controversy again, this time with the introduction of an AI round in its semi-finals. Contestants who enter must create AI-generated avatars of themselves and compete to secure commercial bookings for the digital doubles, with the most successful avatar advancing to the final. Only three of the 32 semi-finalists have opted to participate, reflecting mixed reactions within the modeling world. One participant, Jessica Pliskin, a 23-year-old physics master’s graduate from the University of Bristol, believes the AI round will help her career. “The modeling industry is going to change, but I think this is something that will…

Hundreds of demonstrators gathered in Falkirk on Saturday as rival protests over the housing of asylum seekers at the Cladhan Hotel escalated tensions in the town. Large crowds from both pro and anti-immigration groups faced each other across police lines, chanting slogans, holding signs, and trading accusations in one of the most heated demonstrations Scotland has seen this summer. The event marked the second major protest outside the Cladhan Hotel this month. Anti-immigration groups carried placards with messages such as “stop the boats” and “enough is enough,” while counter-demonstrators responded with chants of “refugees are welcome here.” Police set up…

President Donald Trump was seen on the South Lawn of the White House on Saturday, just hours after online rumors claimed he had gone missing from public view. The 79-year-old president appeared with his grandchildren, Kai Trump, 18, and Spencer Trump, 12, in a move that seemed aimed at silencing unverified claims spreading rapidly across social media. Late Friday night, hashtags including “Trump is dead” and “Where is Trump?” began trending on X, the platform formerly known as Twitter. The posts sparked confusion and concern among users, leading to a surge of speculation about the president’s whereabouts and well-being. The…

The future of America’s most influential government-funded broadcaster has been thrown into uncertainty after the Trump administration moved to eliminate more than 500 jobs at the Voice of America and its sister networks. The announcement, made late Friday by acting US Agency for Global Media CEO Kari Lake, has ignited fierce backlash from employees, lawmakers, and legal experts who warn that the sweeping layoffs could silence America’s voice abroad at a time of growing global tension. Lake confirmed that her agency had initiated a reduction in force that would cut 532 full-time government jobs. She argued that the agency would…

Donald Trump’s trade agenda faced its toughest challenge yet on Friday after a federal appeals court ruled that the former president exceeded his constitutional authority when he imposed broad tariffs on nearly every country in the world. The Washington DC court, in a 7–4 ruling, declared that Trump had gone beyond the powers granted to him under existing US law. The decision noted that while presidents do have considerable leeway in responding to national emergencies, that authority does not extend to imposing tariffs or taxes on imports without congressional approval. The ruling directly targets tariffs Trump enacted on April 2,…

The United States has blocked Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and about 80 other Palestinian officials from attending next month’s UN General Assembly session in New York, citing concerns that their presence could undermine peace efforts. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the officials sought “the unilateral recognition of a conjectural Palestinian state” and blamed them for bypassing negotiations with Israel. The decision has drawn support from Israel but raised questions about compliance with international agreements governing UN operations. Typically, the US facilitates travel for foreign officials attending UN meetings. The State Department clarified that Palestinian representatives at the UN…