TITBITS:
1. Scientists captured a
zoomed-in image of the star WOH G64, located 160,000 light years away in the
Large Magellanic Cloud, using the Very Large Telescope Interferometer (VLTI).
WOH G64 is one of the largest known stars, estimated to be 2,000 times the
Sun's diameter, and is nearing the end of its life.
2. The 'State of Tax Justice 2024' report highlights a
global tax loss of $492 billion annually, mainly due to multinational
corporations and wealthy individuals hiding wealth offshore. It calls for a UN
tax convention, excess profits taxes, and global tax reforms like the OECD's
Global Minimum Tax to reduce inequality and tax evasion.
3. Motivated litigation aimed
at altering the status of a place of worship, a questionable exparte court
order, and the violent protest that it evoked, led to the killing of four
persons in Sambhal district, Uttar Pradesh, recently. The Supreme Court of India's
order calling for preserving peace and harmony has provided some respite from
the tension.
4. The Ministry of Electronics
and Information Technology (MeitY) convened meetings with industry and experts
to discuss setting up an AI Safety Institute under the IndiaAI Mission. AI
appeared high on the agenda in the run up to the Summit of the Future, with a
high-level UN advisory panel producing a report on Governing AI for
Humanity.