WAO ART #123

Mercury, Saturn, Jupiter, Uranus, and Neptune will all be visible practically to the eye this weekend in a cosmic event. Early risers with a good view of the horizon will get the best chance of spotting the alignment at dawn on Saturday. Jupiter and Saturn will be the easiest to spot.

BlackRock has announced plans for its iShares Bitcoin Trust, which aims to launch a spot bitcoin product in the US. Coinbase will serve as custodian of the trust's bitcoin holdings, pending SEC approval. The SEC has blocked several attempts to launch spot bitcoin ETFs in the US.

A Swiss village narrowly avoided disaster when millions of cubic metres of rock fell on its outskirts. Brienz, a community of just 70 people, was evacuated when geologists warned that a major rockfall was imminent. The mountain above the village had been unstable for decades.

Seven African leaders have travelled to Ukraine and Russia on a peace mission, hoping to work towards ending the war that has badly affected living standards across the continent. Leaders from South Africa, Egypt, Senegal, Congo-Brazzaville, Comoros, Zambia, and Uganda are set to meet with both Vladimirs.

Peru's health minister, Rosa Gutierrez, has resigned as the country struggles to control a record-breaking dengue fever outbreak. Cyclone Yaku led to a surge in numbers of mosquitoes earlier this year. President Dina Boluarte accepted Gutiérrez's resignation and vowed to improve public health.

Young Liu has said that electric vehicles will be the driving force behind the company's growth in the coming decades, as Foxconn reimagines some of its supply chains amidst icy US-China relations. Liu also said that contingency planning was underway amid the possibility of war between China and Taiwan.

A tornado swept through Perryton, near the Oklahoma border, in northern Texas. There are reports of damaged and destroyed homes and power outages. The tornado is believed to be a part of a storm system affecting Southern states. The NWS has expressed further concerns about potential severe weather.