Science

by Clarence Oxford Los Angeles CA (SPX) Dec 19, 2025 The Space Development Agency has selected four contractor teams to build and operate 72 Tracking Layer satellites for Tranche 3 of the Proliferated Warfighter Space Architecture in low Earth orbit, under agreements valued at approximately 3.5 billion dollars. The awards, issued under Other Transaction Authority

by AFP Staff Writers Paris, France (AFP) Dec 17, 2025 Global coal consumption is expected to hit a record in 2025, the IEA said Wednesday, thanks in part to policy measures introduced by the Trump administration to boost the industry. In its annual report on the coal industry, the International Energy Agency said demand was

by AFP Staff Writers New Delhi (AFP) Dec 18, 2025 India’s parliament on Thursday passed legislation to open nuclear power generation to private companies as part of the government’s ambitious plan to nearly triple clean energy production within six years. India is the third-biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, and remains deeply dependent on polluting coal

by AFP Staff Writers Kathmandu (AFP) Dec 16, 2025 Nepal launched on Tuesday a nationwide tiger census, a key step in conservation efforts to aid the recovery of the big cats that once faced near extinction in the Himalayan nation. The survey will be conducted in four national parks in Nepal’s forested southern plains, covering

By Anuj SRIVAS Mumbai, India (AFP) Dec 10, 2025 E-commerce giant Amazon said Wednesday it would nearly double its investment in India, seeking to expand exports, create jobs and invest in artificial intelligence in the world’s most populous nation. Several global corporations, including technology giant Microsoft, have announced large investments this year in the South

by AFP Staff Writers Colombo (AFP) Dec 14, 2025 Sri Lanka’s parliament will interrupt its recess to fast-track financial aid needed for rebuilding after Cyclone Ditwah, which killed nearly 650 people, officials said Sunday. President Anura Kumara Dissanayake had said last week that the island nation would need at least $1.66 billion in 2026 —

by AFP Staff Writers Hanoi, Vietnam (AFP) Dec 11, 2025 Toxic smog has blanketed Vietnam’s capital for more than a week, blotting out the skyline and leaving residents wheezing as Hanoi’s air quality dipped to among the world’s worst on Thursday. The city of nine million ranked second only to India’s New Delhi on IQAir’s

by Riko Seibo Tokyo, Japan (SPX) Dec 11, 2025 CAS Space has carried out the 11th launch of its Kinetica 1 solid-fuel carrier rocket, orbiting nine satellites from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center in the Gobi Desert of northwestern China. The rocket lifted off at 12:03 pm local time and delivered all payloads into their

by AFP Staff Writers New Delhi (AFP) Dec 9, 2025 Global technology giant Microsoft announced on Tuesday plans to invest $17.5 billion to help build India’s artificial intelligence infrastructure, with CEO Satya Nadella calling it “our largest investment ever in Asia”. Several global corporations have announced large investments this year in the South Asian nation

By Amal JAYASINGHE Chilaw, Sri Lanka (AFP) Dec 9, 2025 Long before dawn, people were already queueing for medical aid on Tuesday at an emergency camp in Sri Lanka’s coastal town of Chilaw, hit hard by a deadly cyclone and floods. Carpenter Prasantha Perera, 60, was waiting to have a shard of wood removed from