THE GUARDIAN

Astronomers spot first possible exoplanet outside our galaxy

A possible Saturn-sized planet identified in the distant Whirlpool Galaxy could be the first exoplanet to be detected outside the Milky Way.

The exoplanet candidate appears to be orbiting an X-ray binary – made up of a normal star and a collapsed star or black hole – with its distance from this binary roughly equivalent to the distance of Uranus from the sun.

THE GUARDIAN

Sudan’s army detains PM and other civilian leaders in coup attempt

Sudan’s military has launched a coup, arresting leading politicians and declaring a state of emergency, as thousands of protesters who flooded the streets of Khartoum in opposition reportedly faced gunfire.

THE GUARDIAN

China warns against ‘wrong signals’ as Biden suggests US would defend Taiwan

China has urged the US to “avoid sending any wrong signals” after President Joe Biden for a second time in three months said the US would come to Taiwan’s defence if it was attacked.

THE GUARDIAN

China Evergrande shares fall sharply after $2.6bn asset sale collapses

Shares in the struggling property giant China Evergrande have fallen sharply after plans to offload a stake in one of its units for $2.6bn fell through, casting further doubt over whether it can avert the country’s biggest ever corporate failure.

THE GUARDIAN

SpaceX could make Elon Musk world’s first trillionaire, says Morgan Stanley

Elon Musk, the world’s richest person, with an estimated $241bn fortune, could become the first trillionaire, an investment bank has predicted.

Analysts at Morgan Stanley forecast that Musk, who has made most of his wealth from the electric car company Tesla, could make much more money from his fledgling space exploration business SpaceX.

THE GUARDIAN

North Korea has fired ballistic missile into sea, says South

North Korea launched a ballistic missile – possibly from a submarine – into the Sea of Japan, South Korea’s military has said, in the latest in a series of tests by Pyongyang over recent weeks.

THE GUARDIAN

China denies report claiming it launched hypersonic missile

China has denied a report that claimed it had recently launched a hypersonic missile, saying its launch of a new spacecraft was merely a test to see whether the vehicle could be reused.

THE GUARDIAN

Norway bow-and-arrow suspect in care amid mental health concerns

The man suspected of killing five people with a bow and arrows and other weapons in Norway has been transferred to the public health service, a state prosecutor has said, amid concerns about his mental health.

AL JAZEERA

Myanmar won’t allow ASEAN envoy to meet Aung San Suu Kyi 

Myanmar’s ruling military will not block a visit by ASEAN’s special envoy but will not allow him to meet detained former leader Aung San Suu Kyi because she is charged with crimes, according to the military spokesman. 

THE GUARDIAN

Russia’s population undergoes largest ever peacetime decline

Russia’s natural population has undergone its largest peacetime decline in recorded history over the last 12 months, according to an analysis of official government statistics made by a prominent independent demographer, as the country battles a deadly fourth wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.