China, Brazil cooperate in radio telescope project

Brazilian experts have praised China's role in advancing Brazil's space research capabilities through the construction of a major radio telescope.

Astrophysicist Alex Wuensche is deeply involved in one of Brazil's most important space research projects -- construction of a "Baryon Acoustic Oscillations in Neutral Gas Observations (BINGO)" telescope in the country's northeastern countryside, which will be the largest of its kind in Latin America.

China is a key partner in the project, producing a significant portion of the telescope's equipment. The BINGO project is among the latest in space collaborations that began in 1988 when Brazil and China signed an agreement on research.

Speaking to China Global Television Network (CGTN) in the National Institute for Space Research, Alex Wuensche said that the project has created jobs and promoted technology adoption, and China has played a key role in it.

"We have the expertise from China, that built the largest telescope in the world today -- FAST, which is in northwestern (southwestern) China. It's a 500-meter telescope. For this project specifically, China is the best partner, I think, we could find around," he continued.

The plan is to have the BINGO radio telescope operating by the first half of 2025, with hopes that it will be yet another successful example of Brazil-China cooperation in space research.

Another fruitful outcome of Brazil-China collaboration in space research has been the development and operation of the China-Brazil Earth Resource Satellite (CBERS) program. These Earth-monitoring resources provide crucial environmental data for Brazil and other developing nations, supporting efforts in deforestation control, water management, and urban planning.

"The CBERS program has a very important point. As far as I know, it's the first program in the world that releases free data for all people that want to get it. The CBERS data is available on the internet, and people who want to use this data can make some kind of subscription for free," said Adenilson Roberto Da Silva, a space technology coordinator.

China, Brazil cooperate in radio telescope project

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday condemned U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iranian civil facilities including schools and hospitals as unjustifiable under international law and humanitarian principles.

Iran does not seek war and instability and always insists on dialogue and constructive engagement with other countries, Pezeshkian said in a meeting with a group of medical staff in Tehran.

Pezeshkian condemned the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, saying Iran had committed no crime.

"When they [the United States and Iran] attack schools, and maternity wards in hospitals, they don't respect any humanitarian principles. It's shameful and the world needs to see this. They claim we are terrorists, but they are the real terrorists who massacre anyone, anywhere, anytime they want. Now they stand on the stage and talk about human rights. It's shameful," he said.

Pezeshkian stated that the unity and cohesion of the Iranian people had thwarted enemy plots. He also praised the professionalism shown by the Iranian Red Crescent Society during the war.

The 40-day U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran, starting Feb 28, killed Iran's then Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, along with senior military commanders and more than 3,000 civilians. Iran responded with waves of missile and drone strikes targeting Israel and U.S. assets in the Middle East.

A two-week ceasefire between Iran and the United States took effect on April 8. Lengthy talks between Iranian and U.S. delegations were later held in Pakistan's Islamabad, but failed to produce an agreement.

Attacks targeting civil facilities unjustifiable under international law: Iranian president