Compiled by Husna Inayathullah

Finding Dory breaks Box Office record

'Finding Dory' has taken $136.2 million on its opening weekend making it the most successful launch for an animated film in US box office history. The sequel to 'Finding Nemo' has unseated 'Shrek the Third'. Thirteen years after 'Finding Nemo' was released Pixar has done a sequel, 'Finding Dory'. Ellen DeGeneres is the voice of the main character - Dory.

The film premiered at the El Captain Theater in Los Angeles on June 8, received positive reviews from critics and has grossed over $185 million worldwide. 'Finding Dory 2016' has begun screening at Savoy 3D Cinema and Ceylon Theatres from June.

Welcome to Jupiter!

NASA on July 4 said it has received a signal from 540 million miles across the solar system, confirming its Juno spacecraft has successfully started orbiting Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system. "Welcome to Jupiter!" flashed on screens at Mission Control of the NASA's Jet Propulsion Lab in Pasadena, California. The Juno team cheered and hugged.

"This is phenomenal," said Geoff Yoder, acting Administrator for NASA's Science Mission Directorate. The probe had to conduct a tricky manoeuvre to slow down enough to allow it to be pulled into orbit.

"NASA did it again," said Scott Bolton, Juno principal investigator.

"We're there, we're in orbit. We conquered Jupiter." Juno was launched nearly five years ago on a mission to study Jupiter's composition and evolution. It's the first spacecraft to orbit Jupiter since Galileo. - CNN

NASA's super balloon lands in Peru

A NASA super balloon launched from Wanaka about seven weeks ago has landed in Peru. The balloon was launched from Wanaka on the 17th May and made it to South America without incident. It was the fifth time it had tried to fly, with previous attempts prevented by bad weather.

The giant balloon, which is nearly 70m high when fully inflated, is being tested as part of a "mission" to study the centre of the galaxy using gamma rays.

The data collected will be used to study deep space astronomy. NASA said by staying aloft for 46 days, the balloon had set a record for a mid-latitude flight.

Royal College Red Cross Society honoured

The Royal College Unit of the Sri Lanka Red Cross Society held its annual blood donation campaign at the college main hall recently.

This meritorious project which attracted a crowd of more than 250 blood donors was one of the most successful blood donation campaigns organized by the Red Cross Society of Royal College. It was the highest number of blood pints collected by any school in Sri Lanka. The Society was recognized and commended for its diligence and hard work by the Blood Transfusion Service of Sri Lanka at the commemoration ceremony of the World Blood Donor Day 2016 held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall recently.