Skyroot Launches Vikram-1: India’s First Private Orbital Rocket Mission

Skyroot Aerospace successfully launched its Vikram-1 rocket from the Satish Dhawan Space Centre in Sriharikota, marking India’s first orbital mission conducted by a private company. The rocket reached a 450 km orbit, carrying customer payloads and experimental technology. This milestone positions India as the third nation to achieve private orbital launch capability, supporting national goals … Read more

Brazil Braces for Trade Tensions as Trump Imposes New Tariffs

Brazil’s Strategic Response to U.S. Tariffs Includes Patent Suspensions and WTO Revival Brazil is preparing to retaliate against U.S. tariffs by targeting intellectual property rights and audiovisual sector interests, according to three sources familiar with the discussions. The measures, which could include suspending pharmaceutical and agricultural seed patents, aim to pressure Washington while avoiding consumer … Read more

FDA Proposes Simplified Registration for Distributed Drug Manufacturers

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has proposed a new regulatory framework designed to modernize how distributed pharmaceutical manufacturing sites register with the agency. Under the proposal, companies utilizing a “hub-and-spoke” manufacturing model—where a central location oversees multiple production units—would be permitted to register as a single establishment. The rule also mandates tighter reporting … Read more

Meta Set to Mass Produce AI Chip in September, Eyes to Double Computing Power

Meta’s Iris Chip: A Strategic Move Toward AI Independence Meta Platforms (META.O) plans to manufacture its custom AI chip, “Iris,” starting in September 2024 as part of a broader effort to boost computing power to 14 gigawatts by 2027, according to an internal memo reviewed by Reuters. The chip, part of Meta’s four-generation MTIA project, … Read more

DeepSeek Developing Proprietary AI Chip, Sources Say

Chinese artificial intelligence startup DeepSeek is developing its own custom inference chips to decrease its reliance on Nvidia and Huawei hardware. According to three people familiar with the matter, the company has ramped up its recruitment of chip-design engineers and is currently in discussions with foundry and memory partners to support its semiconductor ambitions. Why … Read more

Taylor Swift Wins Copyright Lawsuit Against Florida Poet

A federal judge dismissed a copyright infringement lawsuit on Monday against pop star Taylor Swift, ruling that the plaintiff failed to prove the artist plagiarized phrases from her poetry books. U.S. District Judge Aileen Cannon, presiding in Fort Pierce, Florida, dismissed the case with prejudice, effectively barring the plaintiff, Kimberly Marasco, from filing an amended … Read more

US to Exit USMCA: The 10-Year Countdown Begins

The U.S. administration is expected to formally declare on Wednesday that it will not extend the U.S.-Mexico-Canada Agreement (USMCA), a move that triggers a 10-year countdown toward the potential expiration of the North American free trade zone. According to reports, this decision initiates a six-year review process established under the agreement’s “sunset clause,” leaving the … Read more

Roche Challenges Illumina with New Axelios Gene Sequencer

Roche has launched its Axelios gene sequencer, a new platform designed to perform large-scale DNA and RNA analysis, marking the company’s attempt to compete with industry leader Illumina. Roche aims to sell about 100 machines within the first year, targeting academic and research institutions to build a foundation for long-term growth in the $7.3 billion … Read more

US Deploys Ebola Treatments to Congo for Clinical Trials

The U.S. government has begun shipping stockpiled doses of an experimental antibody drug, MBP134, from Mapp Biopharmaceutical to the Democratic Republic of Congo to combat a widening Bundibugyo Ebola outbreak. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this shift in policy marks the first time Washington has released the treatment for clinical … Read more

Iran Deal Includes $300 Billion Investment Fund, Source Says

A $300 billion private investment fund is being established to stimulate Iran’s economy under a new U.S.-Iran framework agreement, with over $150 billion in commitments already secured from international investors. According to a source with direct knowledge of the deal, the fund is a private vehicle containing no government money and will only become operational … Read more