Taiwan Stocks Sink Nearly 10% After US Tariffs Announcement The Taiwan stock market suffered a sharp drop on Monday, falling nearly 10% in its first session since the US introduced new import tariffs. The market reacted strongly to the news, marking its worst one-day loss in over three decades. Tariffs Target Trade Surplus of Taiwan The United States imposed a 32% tariff on imports from Taiwan, citing its high trade surplus with the US. Former President Donald Trump singled out Taiwan, alongside other key trading partners, in the announcement last week. Following a two-day market break, Taiwan’s main stock index,…
Author: Kanika Sharma
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ISRO Successfully Manages Safe Re-entry of POEM-4 Module The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) marked another milestone in responsible space operations with the successful re-entry of its POEM-4 module. This event, which took place on April 4, 2025, underscores ISRO’s continued efforts in promoting space sustainability and reducing orbital debris. POEM-4 Deployed After PSLV-C60 Launch On 30 December 2024, ISRO launched the PSLV-C60 mission, which carried twin SPADEX satellites into space. After placing the satellites into a 475 km orbit, the mission’s upper stage—referred to as the PSLV Orbital Experimental Module or POEM-4—remained in a similar orbit. ISRO then performed…
Flying Radar Helps Coordinate 90+ Aircraft in Major Multinational Drill With over 90 aircraft involved, the NATO exercise “Ramstein Flag 25” (RAFL25) depends heavily on precise coordination and fast communication. At the heart of this effort is the Airborne Warning and Control System (AWACS), serving as a ‘flying sensor’ to manage airspace and ensure mission success across all participating forces. “Thanks to our sensors, we can scan the surrounding airspace, detect and track flying objects, and share that information in real time with command centres and the pilots,” said Lieutenant Colonel Alessandro from Italy. “We can see farther and sooner…
Wilmore and Williams Reflect on Return from Extended Starliner Mission NASA astronauts Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams are readjusting to life on Earth after an unplanned nine-month stay on the International Space Station (ISS). Since their return, the two have been enjoying simple pleasures like dog walks and family time while preparing to help Boeing improve its Starliner spacecraft. Williams shared her experience of returning to Earth, saying, “Laying down on a bed for the first time in nine months was pretty awesome. I just crashed until the next day.” She also spoke about the challenge of adjusting to gravity…
Germany’s First Woman Astronaut Blasts Off on Historic SpaceX Mission Rabea Rogge made history on Monday by becoming the first woman from Germany to travel to space. Her journey began aboard a SpaceX mission that follows a new path around Earth, flying from pole to pole—an orbit never before used by humans. Rogge, a robotics and polar science expert, is the first German in space since 1978. That year, Sigmund Jaehn flew on a Soviet space mission. Rogge’s launch marks a new milestone for Germany in space exploration. A Mission That Inspires Change Before her selection, Rogge admitted she had…
Powerful Earthquake Strikes Myanmar, Causes Widespread Damage A major earthquake with a magnitude of 7.7 struck Myanmar on 28 March 2025 at 06:20:54 UTC. The quake was followed by a strong aftershock measuring 6.4 on the Richter scale. The epicentre was located near the Sagaing-Mandalay border, at coordinates 22.013° N, 95.922° E, and at a shallow depth of 10 kilometres. The impact of the tremors was felt across much of Myanmar and extended into neighbouring countries. Mandalay, Myanmar’s second-largest city, bore the brunt of the earthquake. The city experienced severe infrastructure damage, with roads, buildings, and essential services affected. The…
European Test Rocket Explodes Shortly After Takeoff in Norway A test rocket launched by German startup Isar Aerospace exploded just seconds after lifting off from a spaceport in northern Norway. The uncrewed rocket, named Spectrum, crashed back to Earth and exploded less than a minute after takeoff during what was described as its first major test. Isar Aerospace Rocket Suffers Failure Shortly After Liftoff The Spectrum rocket took off at 12:30pm local time (11:30am BST) on Sunday from the Andøya spaceport, located in the Arctic Circle. Within 30 seconds, it began smoking from the sides and was forced to terminate…
Elon Musk Merges xAI and X in $33 Billion All-Stock Deal Elon Musk’s artificial intelligence firm, xAI, has acquired his social media platform X, formerly known as Twitter, in an all-stock deal valued at $33 billion. This latest move strengthens Musk’s hold over his expanding tech empire, which also includes Tesla and SpaceX. The acquisition is expected to make it easier for Musk to develop xAI’s AI model, Grok, by merging data, computing power, and distribution. Strengthening AI Ambitions Musk announced the merger on X, stating the combined value of the deal places xAI at $80 billion and X at…
Russia Offers Nuclear Power Support for Elon Musk’s Mars Mission Russia has proposed supplying a small nuclear power plant to support Elon Musk’s planned mission to Mars, according to a senior government official. The offer underscores Moscow’s interest in space cooperation, despite ongoing geopolitical tensions. Potential Collaboration on Martian Energy Needs Kirill Dmitriev, President Vladimir Putin’s envoy for international cooperation, made the proposal during an Arctic Forum in Murmansk. He suggested that Russia could hold discussions with Musk via video conference to explore collaboration opportunities. “Russia can offer a small-sized nuclear power plant for a mission to Mars and other…
Trump Administration Taps Spy Agencies and AI for Border Surveillance The Trump administration directed two major intelligence agencies to use satellite surveillance at the US-Mexico border. The move is part of a larger push to strengthen border security and crack down on illegal immigration and drug trafficking. Intelligence Agencies Mobilised for Border Monitoring The National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency (NGA) and the National Reconnaissance Office (NRO), both under the Department of Defense, have been tasked with supporting the border mission. These agencies manage spy satellites and analyse imagery for defence and intelligence purposes. The NGA said it formed a task force to…