Author: Resham

U.S. Expands Drone Restrictions, Adds DJI and Autel to National Security Risk List The U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC) has expanded its restrictions on foreign-made drones, adding China’s DJI, Autel, and all overseas drone manufacturers and components to its “Covered List.” The agency said on Monday that the decision follows a national security review that identified significant risks linked to imported drone technologies. FCC Bars Approval of New Drone Models The FCC’s ruling prevents DJI, Autel, and other foreign drone makers from obtaining approval to import or sell new drone models or critical components in the United States. Such approval…

Nexperia’s China Unit Secures Local Wafer Supply Amid Deepening Split with Dutch Parent Nexperia’s Chinese subsidiary has secured domestic sources of silicon wafers to cover all its 2026 production needs for a key type of power chip, according to an internal document seen by Reuters. The move comes after the Dutch-headquartered semiconductor maker halted wafer shipments to its Chinese unit amid a deepening corporate and political dispute. Ensuring Continuity in Chip Production The Chinese unit, which declared independence from Nexperia’s European management two months ago, will now be able to continue manufacturing Insulated-Gate Bipolar Transistor (IGBT) power chips and modules…

China’s Power Market Reforms Ignite Global Boom in Energy Storage Exports China’s overhaul of its electricity market is transforming the economics of power storage, fuelling a rapid rise in exports from the country’s dominant energy storage manufacturers. As global demand for reliable power surges, especially from renewable projects and data centres, Chinese firms are seizing the moment. According to industry estimates, Chinese manufacturers are set to record a 75% increase in global shipments of lithium-ion battery cells for energy storage this year. Combined exports of energy storage and electric vehicle (EV) batteries have already surpassed $65 billion, reinforcing China’s leadership…

Apple Opens iPhones to Alternative App Stores in Japan Under New Competition Law Apple announced on Wednesday that it has opened the iPhone ecosystem in Japan to alternative app marketplaces, complying with new national regulations designed to foster competition in the country’s smartphone sector. The move marks another major adjustment to the company’s tightly controlled App Store model, which has faced increasing global scrutiny. New Marketplaces and Lower Commissions Under the revised framework, Japanese developers can now launch their own app marketplaces on iPhones, paying Apple commissions as low as 5% on sales made through those platforms. Developers will also…

MetaX Shares Skyrocket 700% in Shanghai Debut as China’s AI Chip Boom Intensifies MetaX Integrated Circuits surged 700% on its market debut in Shanghai, underscoring strong investor enthusiasm for Chinese artificial intelligence (AI) chipmakers as Beijing accelerates efforts to reduce reliance on U.S. semiconductor giants such as Nvidia and AMD. A Record-Breaking IPO Amid China’s Tech Drive Founded by former AMD executives, MetaX (688802.SS) raised roughly $600 million in its initial public offering last week, just days after rival Moore Threads debuted with a 400% share jump. Retail investors oversubscribed MetaX’s IPO by more than 4,000 times, making it one…

University of Surrey Tests Smart Flooring to Prevent Falls Among Older Adults Engineers at the University of Surrey in southern England are developing a “smart” flooring system designed to reduce injuries from falls among older adults while also detecting when a person has fallen. The ongoing laboratory study uses motion-tracking technology and adjustable floor panels to explore how different surface types affect balance, stability and fall risk. Analysing Balance Through Motion Tracking In the experiment, volunteers are fitted with reflective markers as infrared cameras record how they stand and walk across test areas. The stiffness of each floor section can…

U.S. Lawmaker Seeks Ban on Chinese Lidar in Cars and Infrastructure A U.S. lawmaker has proposed legislation to phase out Chinese-made lidar sensors from self-driving vehicles and critical infrastructure, citing national security concerns that such technology could be remotely hacked or disabled from space during a conflict. Bill Targets Chinese Dominance in Lidar Technology Representative Raja Krishnamoorthi, a Democrat from Illinois and the ranking member of the House Select Committee on China, introduced the bill earlier this week. The proposed legislation aims to restrict the use of Chinese lidar systems—laser-based sensors that create three-dimensional maps for autonomous vehicles and other…

China and Brazil Begin Building Joint Space Technology Lab China and Brazil have started constructing a joint laboratory focused on space technologies, marking a new stage in their expanding scientific partnership. The initiative, announced by China Electronics Technology Group Corporation (CETC), strengthens cooperation between the two nations as they advance their ambitious BINGO radio telescope project in South America. Expanding Cooperation Amid U.S. Pressure The growing collaboration stands in contrast to mounting U.S. pressure on Latin American nations to scale back relations with China, particularly in the space sector. Two Chinese-led telescope projects in Chile and Argentina have reportedly been…

China Launches First Power Industry Satellite to Boost Grid Monitoring and Safety China has launched its first remote-sensing satellite dedicated to the power industry, designed to strengthen monitoring and maintenance of the country’s vast electricity transmission network. The development marks a significant step in using space technology to enhance the safety, efficiency and resilience of China’s power grid. Precision Monitoring for Critical Infrastructure The satellite, named Jixing High-Resolution 07D01, was launched at 12:03 local time on Wednesday from the Dongfeng commercial space innovation pilot zone near the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in northwest China. Carried by a domestic rocket, it…

Chinese Astronauts Install Debris Shields on Tiangong Space Station Chinese astronauts have fitted new protection against space debris on the Tiangong space station, a month after a docked spacecraft was damaged by orbital junk, according to China’s manned spaceflight authorities. The move follows an incident that underscored the growing dangers of space debris for all nations operating in orbit. Emergency Triggered by Shenzhou-20 Damage In early November, a small piece of high-speed debris struck the return capsule window of the Shenzhou-20 spacecraft while it was docked at Tiangong, cracking the surface just before the crew’s scheduled return to Earth. The…