Author: News 24 Expres

WNBA Champion and Two-Time MVP Stepping Away from the Court Candace Parker, the WNBA superstar with a legacy of three championship wins and a remarkable career spanning 16 seasons, declared her retirement via social media on Sunday. The 38-year-old, known for her prowess on the court and numerous accolades, shared her decision in a heartfelt Instagram post. Regarded as a trailblazer in women’s basketball, Parker’s retirement marks the end of an era for the sport. Throughout her career, she amassed an impressive array of achievements, including two Olympic gold medals, 10 All-WNBA honors, and seven WNBA All-Star appearances. A Legacy…

Pope Francis’ Meaningful Visit to Venice Pope Francis ventured out of Rome for the first time in seven months to visit Venice, a city known for its contrasts and beauty. His visit included an art exhibition, a prison visit, and a Mass, making a profound impact on the city. Art and Hope in Unusual Places The Vatican’s pavilion at the Biennale art show was located in Venice’s women’s prison, where inmates collaborated with artists. This unique project underscored Francis’ belief in the power of art to inspire and unite, emphasizing the importance of offering hope and solidarity to marginalized communities.…

Organization’s Response to Tragic Loss World Central Kitchen (WCK) announced its decision to restart operations in Gaza, four weeks following the devastating loss of seven aid workers in Israeli air strikes. The nonprofit, led by renowned chef José Andrés, had halted its food aid deliveries in Gaza after the tragic incident on April 1. Despite the setback, WCK is determined to address the critical humanitarian situation in the region. Commitment to Serving the Community With a fleet of 276 trucks carrying nearly 8 million meals, World Central Kitchen is prepared to provide essential food aid through various means, including land,…

Age-Defying Voyager 1 Sends Cryptic Signals NASA engineers have encountered a puzzling challenge in deciphering the messages sent by the aging Voyager 1 spacecraft. Since November, the probe has been transmitting garbled data, making it difficult for scientists to extract valuable information from the 46-year-old spacecraft. Unlocking Voyager 1’s Secrets Undeterred by the cryptic signals, NASA engineers took a bold step by sending a “poke” to Voyager 1’s internal systems on March 3. The response they received revealed an unexpected twist – the spacecraft had resorted to improvisation in its old age, further complicating communication efforts. Unraveling the Mystery In…

17-year-old Achyuta Rajaram’s Breakthrough in Machine Learning Achyuta Rajaram was awarded the top prize of $250,000 in this year’s Regeneron Science Talent Search for his innovative work in enhancing the efficiency and safety of machine learning models. The prestigious competition, organized by the Society for Science, distributed over $1 million in prizes to finalists. Rajaram’s Vision for Safer AI Rajaram’s project focused on optimizing computer vision models to improve speed and accuracy. He aimed to demystify the functioning of these models, drawing parallels with the complexity of ChatGPT. By understanding the algorithmic processes from input to output, Rajaram believes AI…

19-Year-Old Kenyan Athlete Makes History in Germany Emmanuel Wanyonyi, a rising star in the track and field world, made headlines over the weekend with a remarkable performance in Herzogenaurach, Germany. The 19-year-old athlete smashed the world road mile record with a stunning time of 3 minutes 54.56 seconds on his first competitive attempt over the distance. Known primarily as an 800-meter runner, Wanyonyi’s exceptional feat comes on the heels of his silver medal win in the men’s 800m event at the 2023 World Athletics Championship in Budapest, Hungary. The previous record holder, American athlete Hobbs Kessler, set the bar high…

Observations Made on a Neptune-like Planet Researchers have identified a planet that may have a surface covered by an ocean, according to a report by The Guardian. The planet, named “TOI-270 d,” located about 73 light years away, shows evidence of water vapor and chemical signatures of carbon dioxide and methane. A team from the University of Cambridge made these observations using NASA’s James Webb Space Telescope. Debate Over Habitability The planet’s characteristics indicate the presence of a deep-water ocean, although the high temperatures pose uncertainties about its habitability. Nikku Madhusudhan, a professor of astrophysics at the University of Cambridge…

Well-Known Influencer Gunned Down in Central Baghdad Iraqi authorities are currently probing the tragic killing of a prominent social media influencer, Ghufran Mahdi Sawadi, known as Um Fahad. The influencer, popular on TikTok and Instagram, was fatally shot by an armed motorcyclist in front of her home in central Baghdad. The assailant reportedly opened fire as Sawadi parked her Cadillac, taking her phone before fleeing the scene. Neighborhood with Troubling History The incident took place in Zayoona, the same neighborhood where another notable figure, Hisham al-Hashimi, was killed in 2020. This area was once prestigious, housing military leaders, but in…

Record-Breaking Attendance in Detroit DETROIT — The NFL draft continued with the second and third rounds, drawing a massive crowd of over 275,000 fans in Detroit. NFL commissioner Roger Goodell announced that the city is closing in on Nashville’s record attendance of 600,000 set in 2019. Defensive Dominance on Day Two Day two of the draft was marked by a strong showing of defensive talent, with twenty defensive players selected in the second round. Among the standout picks were cornerback Cooper DeJean to the Philadelphia Eagles and Kool-Aid McKinstry to the New Orleans Saints. Keon Coleman, the first pick of…

America’s Youth Driving Decline in Happiness The latest World Happiness Report has delivered a blow to the United States, plunging it to the 23rd spot on the global happiness index. This marks the first time the US has fallen out of the top 20 since the report’s inception in 2012. Youth Unhappiness The report reveals a concerning trend – young Americans are at the forefront of this happiness decline. The report by the Wellbeing Research Centre at the University of Oxford shows the US plummeted eight positions from last year’s ranking. Age-Based Rankings In a groundbreaking move, the report introduced…