Latin America in Short: Southern Hemisphere Meteor Shower | Luis Díaz in the Champions League Final

This week the United States raises interest rates to reduce inflation. In global news, the Ukraine war already leaves more than 5 million refugees. In more friendly news, this morning you can see from the southern hemisphere the meteor shower left by the passage of Halley's comet. Regarding health issues, WHO and UNICEF warn about a new outbreak of measles. Finally, in sports, it becomes official: Luis Díaz in the Champions League final.

The United States historically raises interest rates to reduce inflation

The Federal Reserve raised interest rates to 0.5%, and left them at 1%. This increase is classified as historical, since in the last 20 years, the FED did not make an increase similar to the one announced this week. Likewise, this increase is followed by a slight increase of 0.25% that had already been announced in March.

Inflation in the United States has reached its highest in decades, and stands at 8.5%. It is expected that by July of this year, the payments for the bonds will increase up to 2%.

UN: War in Ukraine has left 5.7 million refugees

The armed conflict in Eastern Europe has not only caused deaths and economic losses. Another of the direct consequences of the military invasion of Russia is the number of refugees who have left the country, mostly to countries of the European Union. According to the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), today the number of Ukrainian refugees is almost 6 million. Of these, the largest number have migrated to Poland and Romania. Precisely, official data registers 3.1 million Ukrainians in Poland; 854,000 in Romania and 714,000 in Russia.

However, these are just the figures for external refugees, since within Ukraine, according to the UN, there are more than 7.7 million people who have had to leave their homes to seek areas far from the war. These more than 13 million Ukrainians are about 25% of the total national population, and the largest number of refugees are women, minors and the elderly. In this way, officially, the conflict in Ukraine has generated the biggest migration crisis within Europe since the Second World War.

Also read: What Is It and What Does It Mean that Russia Can Enter the List of Countries that Support Terrorism?

May surprises Latin America with astronomical phenomena

This month you can see the Eta Aquarids meteor shower, named after the constellation of Aquarius. According to information from NASA, these are remains that come from Halley's comet, which leaves two weak meteor showers a year: in May and October. However, this year the comet will be seen on Earth and it will be possible to appreciate the halos of light that this celestial body leaves in its wake. Although it will be happening until May 28, the mornings of May 6 and 7 will be the time with the greatest number of visible fragments, especially in the southern hemisphere.

WHO and UNICEF launch alert on measles outbreaks

According to information from the World Health Organization, measles cases have increased by 79% that have been reported in the world, compared to the previous year. Together with UNICEF, they warn that it is necessary to sound the alarms, especially regarding vaccination, since the conditions are right for large outbreaks of said disease to be generated. Due to COVID-19 and conflicts such as those in Ukraine, Ethiopia and Afghanistan, vaccination plans for children have been neglected. "The measles virus also weakens the immune system and increases the vulnerability of children to other infectious diseases such as pneumonia and diarrhoea," says the WHO.

Luis Díaz, in the ideal team of the Champions

The peasant Luis Díaz has been a revelation for the world in this Champions tournament. With his headed goal against Villareal, he helped his team come back from a difficult moment. Thanks to this act, he was included by Uefa in the "ideal eleven of the week", along with other soccer superstars. Let's hope that Díaz can maintain this level ahead of the final on May 28 in Paris.