WAO ART #147

Astronomers from Chile, France, and the European Space Agency have discovered an exoplanet, LTT9779 b, that reflects 80% of the light from its host star, making it the shiniest known exoplanet. The planet, about the size of Neptune, is covered in reflecting metal clouds made up of titanium and silicate.

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has stated that his country will support Sweden's bid to join NATO if the European Union opens membership talks for Turkey. Erdogan plans to make this demand at the NATO summit in Lithuania. Turkey, as a NATO member, has veto power over new countries joining the group.

Binance, the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange, has announced its 32nd project on Binance Launchpad. The new project is called Arkham (ARKM) and the token sale will begin on July 11, 2023. Binance will save user BNB balances for six days during the token sale. The hard cap for the project is $2.5M.

US President Joe Biden met with King Charles at Windsor Castle during his visit to the UK. They discussed climate finance with financiers and philanthropists. Biden also met with Prime Minister Rishi Sunak to discuss the US providing cluster bombs to Ukraine.

Australia will deploy a Royal Australian Air Force E-7A Wedgetail aircraft to provide logistical support to Ukraine, without entering its airspace. The aircraft will help protect multinational logistics hubs and ensure the uninterrupted flow of military and humanitarian aid into Ukraine.

The Spanish coast guard has spotted a boat with around 200 people on board during a search for a missing migrant vessel. The boat was found 71 miles south of Gran Canaria and a rescue vessel has been sent to assist. Two smaller boats carrying dozens more people are also missing.

Indigenous Bajau fishermen in Indonesia fear that the rush for nickel mining will destroy their traditional way of life and damage the environment. Nickel is in high demand for use in stainless steel, mobile phones, and electric car batteries. The IEA predicts that nickel demand will grow by 65% by 2030.