Mexican President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador urged the US government to better regulate weapons sales following the campaign rally shooting of former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump.

At his daily press conference, the Mexican president also called on Trump and the current US president, Joe Biden, to sign “a commitment to regulate the sale of guns” if they win a second term, Xinhua news agency reported.

“I think it would help a lot to control the sale of weapons in the United States, it is something that urgently needs to be done,” Lopez Obrador told reporters at the National Palace in Mexico City.

The United States is undergoing a “social crisis” that must be resolved from the roots, he added.

At a rally where Trump spoke on Saturday, a man fired various shots at the candidate, wounding his right ear.

According to Lopez Obrador, since he took office in December 2018, Mexican authorities have seized 50,000 weapons, about 75 per cent of which were smuggled into Mexico from the United States, particularly the state of Texas.

Mexico’s government has repeatedly called on the United States to adopt tougher gun laws to reduce the supply of weapons and stem arms trafficking into Mexican territory. AGENCIES

 In a first, the Perseverance Mars Rover Mission used Artificial Intelligence (AI) on the Red Planet to make autonomous decisions based on real-time analysis of rock composition, said mission officials at NASA.

While the Rover Mission has been using AI for nearly three years to autonomously identify minerals within Martian rocks, it is the first time they used the technology on Mars to make real-time decisions about rock composition.

These advances are promising steps toward future “smart” spacecraft capable of independently determining what data to collect, where to find it, and how to analyse it, bringing the scientists’ vision of interpreting Mars closer to reality.

NASA’s Perseverance Rover uses AI and its PIXL instrument to decide when to drill rock cores, storing them for future return to Earth as part of the Mars Sample Return campaign.

“We use PIXL’s AI to home in on key science,” said the instrument’s principal investigator, Abigail Allwood of NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Southern California.

Perseverance and Curiosity, 2,300 miles apart, both utilise AI for autonomous tasks: Perseverance for navigation and adaptive sampling, and Curiosity for laser analysis of rock composition.

This AI reduces the workload of scientists and increases mission efficiency, allowing more science to be done faster.

AI aids PIXL in positioning by using a hexapod with six robotic legs to adjust the spectrometer on Perseverance’s arm.

PIXL’s camera checks the distance to the rock, making micrometre-scale adjustments to compensate for temperature-induced arm expansion or contraction, ensuring precise placement without contact.

PIXL uses AI to scan a rock’s surface, firing thousands of X-ray beams to map chemical compositions.

This helps identify minerals like carbonates and phosphates, which provide clues about Mars’ history and potential for past life.

When PIXL detects certain minerals, it can automatically perform a “long dwell” to gather more data.

As Machine Learning improves, PIXL’s focus list expands.

AI-driven autonomy is crucial for future deep space missions, allowing for astrobiological exploration.

AGENCIES

Agriculture is expected to get more importance in India’s growth strategy, and this is likely to be reflected in the upcoming budget, according to Suman Beri, the vice chairman of India’s NITI Aayog which crafts policies.

Asked during an interview with IANS what India’s development goals would be in concrete terms for the coming five years of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s current term, he said that it will be unveiled in the budget that is due to be released by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on July 23.

President Droupadi Murmu “has indicated that this will be a landmark budget” in her address to Parliament last month, he said.

“I think just assessing in a sense, what is being talked about broadly, I wouldn’t be surprised if the agriculture sector gets a lot of attention,” he said.

“We’ve given attention to infrastructure, we’ve given attention to the digital economy,” he said. “

“The Prime Minister certainly believes that startup culture has a lot of potential”, he said.

“But I think that to the extent that the agricultural sector was not an important part of the 1991 [economic] reforms, there’s a lot of potential” for the sector, he said.

However, while outlining some of the near-term priorities, Bery said, “We’re not in the business of five-year plans” but “there are certain milestones” coming up.

“Firstly, it is expected that India would become the third largest economy from the fifth one before the end of this decade” and “that has certain implications for faster growth rates”, he said.

“Second, that focus on capital investment will continue,” he said.

“Third”, Bery said, “we have made commitments to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change about the direction of our energy” away from fossil fuels to renewable energy.

“I would pay particular attention to the energy intensity commitments under the nationally determined contributions” which countries make to reduce their greenhouse gas output. AGENCIES

A proposal to build nuclear reactors in Australia is incompatible with the country’s rollout of renewable energy, the country’s energy minister has said.

In a speech to the National Press Club (NPC) in Canberra on Wednesday, Chris Bowen – the Minister for Climate Change and Energy – said Australians will have to make a choice between “reliable” renewables and “risky” nuclear reactors at the next general election, which must be held by May 2025, Xinhua news agency reported.

It was Bowen’s first major speech since Peter Dutton, leader of the opposition coalition, in June revealed a plan to repeal Australia’s ban on nuclear power and build seven nuclear power plants at sites of retiring coal-fired power stations around Australia by 2050 if he is elected prime minister.

Bowen said on Wednesday that nuclear power in Australia is not a viable economic option and would put private investment in the renewables rollout at risk. The governing Labor Party has committed to a target of 82 per cent of Australia’s electricity coming from renewable sources by 2030.

“Their ideological pursuit of nuclear reactors in two decades’ time would wreck the renewables rollout now,” Bowen said.

“We don’t have the luxury of delaying investment in new generation for another 15 or 20 years while we wait for a new form of generation that Australia has never had.”

Under Dutton’s plan, the first two nuclear reactors would be operational between 2035 and 2037.

An expert report published by national science agency the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) and the Australian Energy Market Operator (AEMO) in May found that the earliest operation date would be 2040 for a small reactor and years later for a large-scale reactor.

The same report found that a large-scale nuclear reactor would generate electricity at more than twice the cost of solar photovoltaic (PV) technology. AGENCIES

South Korean Defence Minister Shin Won-sik on Wednesday called for firm readiness against North Korea’s “provocations”, his office said, amid the North’s “repeated threat” to respond to anti-Pyongyang leaflets sent by South Korean activists.

Shin made the remark in a meeting of top military commanders that was held to discuss potential provocations North Korea may stage and South Korea’s response capabilities against such threats, Yonhap news agency reported, citing the defence ministry.

The meeting came a day after the influential sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong-un warned that South Korea will face “gruesome and dear” consequences if it lets North Korean defectors continue to send anti-Pyongyang leaflets to the North, just two days after she issued a similar statement Sunday.

Also discussed in the meeting was maintaining a firm readiness in response to ongoing downpours that have pummeled the greater Seoul area and providing support for recovery efforts in flood-hit areas, the ministry said.

The ministry warned against the possibility of land mines planted by the North flowing into the South due to heavy rain and advised the public not to touch suspected land mines or suspicious objects in the border area. AGENCIES

Thai Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has ordered an investigation after six foreign nationals were found dead at a hotel in downtown Bangkok.

Police have dismissed earlier reports that they were killed following a shooting.

Metropolitan Police Bureau Commissioner Thiti Saengsawang said the bodies of three men and three women were found in a single hotel room on Tuesday and the cause of the deaths has not been confirmed, Xinhua news agency reported.

He said initial investigations suggest that the incident may have been linked to poisoning, as suspicious substances were discovered in the hotel room and no signs of struggle were found at the scene.

Prime Minister Thavisin has ordered the investigation into the incident to “prevent any impact on the public”. AGENCIES

 A senior Russian official said that Ukraine’s accession to the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) would be not just a direct threat to Russia but a delayed declaration of war, local media reported on Wednesday.

Russia does not pose a threat to NATO, has no plans to attack NATO member countries, and certainly does not aim to harm their residents, Dmitry Medvedev, Deputy Chairman of Russia’s Security Council, was quoted as saying.

Any attempts to advance hostile interests in Ukraine or other countries close to Russia will continue to be met with appropriate resistance, he said.

“The more such attempts there are, the tougher our responses will be. Whether the entire planet will be torn to shreds as a result depends solely on the prudence of the other side,” he added.

AGENCIES

At least 35 people were killed and 250 others were injured as rainstorms and flash floods swept through east Afghanistan’s Nangarhar province, a local official said late on Monday evening.

The disaster, according to Nangarhar’s provincial director for information and culture Qurishi Badlon, on Monday afternoon affected the provincial capital of Jalalabad, Sukh Rod District and their neighbouring areas in the province bordering Pakistan, Xinhua news agency reported.

The casualties are expected to rise, the official added.

A similar natural disaster also claimed five lives in Nangarhar’s neighbouring Kunar province hours earlier on Monday morning.

Heavy rains and flooding have killed more than 400 and rendered thousands homeless since May in the war-torn country. AGENCIES

At least 24 people lost their lives in water-related accidents in Mongolia during the national holiday known as Naadam, the country’s National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) reported on Tuesday.

Naadam, renowned for its traditional sports such as wrestling, archery, and horse racing, is an official holiday celebrated annually from July 11 to July 15, reported Xinhua news agency.

Twenty-two of the victims were adults and the two others were children, the emergency agency said in a statement.

Specifically, five people aged between 21 and 43 drowned in the Green Lake in Ulaankhus soum of the western province of Bayan-Ulgii on Sunday.

One of them drowned while swimming, and the others tragically died trying to rescue him.

Water levels in major rivers throughout Mongolia have exceeded warning levels by up to 40 cm, the agency said, urging the public to take necessary precautions to avoid preventable water-related accidents. AGENCIES

 Samsung on Tuesday announced record pre-orders for its sixth-generation foldable smartphones – Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6. 

In the first 24 hours, pre-orders for Galaxy Z Fold6 and Z Flip6 jumped 40 per cent higher as compared to the previous generation foldables, making the new Z series the most successful in India.In India.

“We are delighted with the consumer response for our new foldables – Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6 in India. The 1.4x growth in pre-orders for the new foldable smartphones shows that Indian consumers are among the fastest adopters of new technology,” said Raju Pullan, Senior Vice President, MX Business, Samsung India.

“Our new foldable smartphones, now in their sixth generation, open the next chapter of Galaxy Al and elevate the user experience to new heights, enabling a range of unique mobile experiences across communications, productivity and creativity. The success of Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6 will help us consolidate our premium segment leadership in India,” said Raju Pullan, Senior Vice President, MX Business, Samsung India.

For Indian consumers, Galaxy Z Fold6 and Z Flip6 are being manufactured at Samsung’s Noida factory.

The new foldables are the slimmest and lightest Galaxy Z series devices ever, and come with perfectly symmetrical design with straight edges. The Galaxy Z series is also equipped with enhanced Armor Aluminum and Corning Gorilla Glass Victus 2, making this the most durable Galaxy Z series yet.

The Galaxy Z Fold6 offers a range of AI-powered features and tools – Note Assist, Composer, Sketch to image, Interpreter, Photo Assist and Instant Slow-mo – to maximize the large screen and significantly enhance your productivity.

Galaxy Z Fold6 starts at Rs 164,999 (12GB+256GB), while Galaxy Z Flip6 is available from Rs 109,999 (12GB+256GB).

In addition to the Galaxy Z Fold6 and Galaxy Z Flip6, Samsung also introduced AI-infused Galaxy ecosystem products- Galaxy Watch Ultra, Galaxy Watch7 and Galaxy Buds3 series which also went on pre-orders on July 10 in India.

Galaxy Watch 7 starts at Rs 29,999 and Galaxy Watch Ultra is priced at Rs 59,999. Samsung’s new Galaxy Buds3 is priced at Rs 14,999 while Galaxy Buds3Pro is priced at Rs 19,999, said the company. AGENCIES