Australia's 1st Attempt at an Orbital Rocket Crashes 14 Seconds After Liftoff

The United States, Russia and China aside, there are many other countries which have significant space ambitions. Like India, Japan, South Korea, and Saudi Arabia. 

These countries have strong space programs and are actively pursuing ambitious goals in space exploration and technology. 

But I must admit that I didn't know Australia is harboring a similar ambition too. 

Anyway, I read that on Tuesday local time, Eris-1, the first rocket fully built by an Australian company, crashed back to Earth 14 seconds after taking off from a spaceport in Queensland. It was the country's first orbital launch attempt since 1971.

Developed by Gilmour Space Technologies, the Eris rocket was designed to carry small satellites into orbit, marking a significant step for the nation's burgeoning space industry. 

A video of the launch shows that the rocket initially took off as expected, with all four of its engines firing properly. But after clearing the launch pad its ascent quickly stalled, and it began to slide sideways before dropping back to the ground and disappearing in a cloud of smoke, likely landing on its side. There was no apparent explosion, but the rocket quickly burst into flames.

Embarrassing leh! 

Interestingly, the Australian aerospace company had even declared that they would consider the launch a success if the rocket left the ground!

My post "Boeing 737 MAX 8 Incidents In Just Two Days" published July 29 refers. I have somehow missed news of another Boeing incident just four days later – and which I only learned today. 😞😞😞

A United Airlines flight bound for San Francisco, USA made a dramatic turnaround back to UK's London Heathrow after “fumes” filled up the plane’s galley. [Note the galley is the area in which cabin crew prepare food and store trolleys, and is where the toilets are typically found]. 

Flight UA949 took off from London Heathrow at 12:45 PM on July 30 for an 11-hour flight to the Californian city. The Boeing 777 managed only 27 minutes in the air before unexpectedly returning to its departure base. The plane reached as far as Milton Keynes, then ditched its flight path and looped back to London, flight tracking data shows. 

After landing, three fire engines met the plane on the taxiway. 

There were 272 passengers onboard at the time, along with 13 crew members. And after the diversion back to the airport, the flight was ultimately cancelled.

Danish Zoo Ask for Unwanted Pets

A zoo in Aalborg, Denmark are appealing to the public to donate their healthy unwanted pets as part of a unique effort to provide food for their carnivores. 

Aalborg Zoo have asked for donations of live chickens, rabbits, and guinea pigs, which they claim are "gently euthanised" by trained staff. [Note: The small animals can be donated on weekdays, with no more than four at a time without an appointment].  

The zoo also accept offerings of live horses – with owners even able to benefit from a potential tax break! 

On their website, underneath a picture (below) of a tiger devouring a piece of meat, Aalborg Zoo lay out the conditions for donating horses. To be eligible they need to have a horse passport and cannot have been treated for an illness within the previous 30 days. If they are successful in handing over their animals, horse donors can then receive a tax deduction. 

Posting on Instagram, the zoo explain they have a "responsibility to imitate the natural food chain of the animals" and smaller livestock "make up an important part of the diet of our predators". 

The zoo maintain the food provided in this way is "reminiscent of what it would naturally hunt in the wild" – and that this is especially true for the Eurasian lynx. Other predators being kept at the zoo include lions and tigers.  

In a statement, the zoo's deputy director, Pia Nielsen, said the zoo's carnivores had been fed smaller livestock "for many years". 

"When keeping carnivores, it is necessary to provide them with meat, preferably with fur, bones etc to give them as natural a diet as possible", she explained. 

"Therefore, it makes sense to allow animals that need to be euthanised for various reasons to be of use in this way. In Denmark, this practice is common, and many of our guests and partners appreciate the opportunity to contribute. The livestock we receive as donations are chickens, rabbits, guinea pigs, and horses".

US Republicans Post Photo of Donald Trump with Lada

A Republican Party social media post on Friday aimed at promoting American manufacturing has drawn ridicule online after users identified the car featured in the image as a presumably Soviet-made Lada, not a product of the US auto industry. 

The image, posted to the US party’s official account on X, shows US President Donald Trump standing in front of a bright yellow sedan. The caption reads: “A Big Beautiful Bill will help bring back the great American car”, referencing legislation recently signed by Trump to extend tax cuts and promote domestic automobile production. [My July 06 post "The US is Now $37 Trillion in Debt" refers to the said bill]. 

But online commentators quickly noticed the car was no symbol of Detroit. 

“That’s a Soviet VAZ-2101, better known as a Lada 1200”, read one top comment, accompanied by laughing emojis. Others chimed in with jabs like “Make Lada Great Again” and “Bringing Soviet prosperity to a decaying America”. 

Auto experts confirmed the mistake. “That car is either a Lada 2101 or a Fiat 124 – and certainly not American”, said Artem Bobtsov, speaking to RBK on Saturday. “The Fiat 124 was the model the Soviets used to build their first Zhiguli, so it’s possible the image features either. But what’s clear is that it isn’t American-made”. 

RBK suggests the image may have come from a European stock photo database. 

Auto analyst Maxim Kadakov noted, “This car appears to be registered in Hungary. It’s likely the designers just grabbed a rusted-out old photo from the internet to avoid copyright issues with American manufacturers”. 

The post was meant to celebrate Trump’s so-called “Big Beautiful Bill”, a sweeping tax and spending law passed in July. The legislation includes tax breaks for Americans buying US-assembled vehicles and cuts to federal spending. However, critics – including Tesla boss Elon Musk – say it will balloon the federal deficit and national debt. Musk warned the bill could push the deficit to $2.5 trillion. 

While the Republican Party has not deleted the post, the online reaction has been scathing. 

“I didn’t know Lada had a factory in the US”, wrote one user. “Will there be a new trade deal with Russia next?”

Yesterday, Celtic began their Scottish Premiership season with a 1-0 victory, thanks to a Luke McCowan's deflected 87th-minute effort. The former were far from convincing as they struggled to break down a resilient St Mirren.

Citizenship of 3 Countries

I must admit this is the first time I've heard of someone with triple citizenship. Hit maker Dua Lipa now has citizenship for Britain, Albania and Kosovo.

Yes, I checked and it is possible to have triple citizenship. While some countries restrict dual citizenship, meaning a person can only have one other citizenship besides their own, there are countries that permit holding three or more citizenships. This is often referred to as multiple citizenship, and it's a status where a person is simultaneously recognized as a citizen by multiple countries.  

The 29-year-old pop star (right) was born in London, UK to Kosovan-Albanian parents, Anesa and Dukagjin Lipa, and moved to Pristina, Kosovo’s capital aged 11, when her family returned after it "gained" independence in 2008, before moving back to London aged 15. 

Since finding fame with hits like New Rules, Be The One, Don't Start Now and Levitating, the singer has made a point of honoring her heritage. 

In 2022, she was granted Albanian citizenship for promoting the country through her music and fame. On Friday, she was granted Kosovo citizenship. 

And Lipa reportedly said she "feels like my two sides are now one".  

Kosovo is a landlocked country bordered by Serbia to the north and east, North Macedonia to the south, Albania to the west, and Montenegro to the northwest. 

International governments are divided on the issue of recognition of the independence of Kosovo from Serbia, which was declared in 2008. The Government of Serbia does not diplomatically recognise Kosovo as a sovereign state, although the two countries have enjoyed normalised economic relations since 2020. At least, that's what I've read. 

It has been claimed that Kosovo has received 116 diplomatic recognitions by UN member states; however disagreements have arisen regarding the exact number of countries recognising Kosovo. Kosovo claims that the number of countries recognising its independence is 119, whilst Serbia claims the number is 84, stating that some countries have withdrawn recognition. Third party sources give the number of recognising countries as around 110. FYI, Malaysia under Abdullah Ahmad Badawi officially recognized the Republic of Kosovo on October 30, 2008.

[V]olodmir [Z]elensky's Fantasy: A Call for Regime Change in Russia

[V]olodmir [Z]elensky on Thursday has openly called on Western allies to push for "regime change" in Russia, arguing that Vladimir Putin otherwise would continue to destabilize his neighbors.

It's just some dreamy fantasy of his. But he, of all people, should know it is nothing more than a fool's errand.

Besides, this preposterous fancy is not new because for a long time, the US and even the UK have been wanting to topple Putin and in the process, carve up Russia.

Actually, [Z]elensky should start to worry about himself. I'm going to say it out loud what many people are already thinking. I betcha his US minders are, hitherto, planning to do a number on him! I fear his time is coming up.

Surely, he should know that nobody backs a losing horse!

And since I am on this topic of aggression being singularly directed at Russia, here's another delusion harbored by another madman! This time, from a senior US military commander! 

General Chris Donahue the commanding general of United States Army Europe and Africa and commander of Allied Land Command had, on July 17, lobbed a warning to Russia that NATO forces could take control of the Russian enclave of Kaliningrad "in a timeframe that is unheard of". 

FYI, Kaliningrad Oblast is a compact piece of land measuring 15,100 square kilometers sandwiched between Poland and Lithuania. 

Originally the German city of Konigsberg and surrounding area, it was ceded to the Soviet Union (now, Russia) in the immediate aftermath of World War 2, and was renamed Kaliningrad in 1946. 

Though small, it is of vital strategic importance to Russia, giving Moscow a second point of direct access to the Baltic Sea – the other being through its most eastern arm in the Finnish Gulf. In fact, Russia's Baltic Sea Fleet have their headquarters here. 

And Russian officials have repeatedly warned that any NATO attack on Kaliningrad would be viewed as a direct assault on Russia, with lawmaker Leonid Slutsky, head of the Russian parliament's Foreign Affairs Committee, threatening "corresponding retaliatory measures, including the use of nuclear weapons", according to the Russian state-owned TASS news agency.

I suppose you cannot stop morons from dreaming!

Mountain Turnstiles to Charge Access to Instagram Hot Spots

There's this latest Italian social media trend, which lures hundreds of thousands of tourists to the mountain range in northern Italy, with many traipsing across private land to get that perfect shot. 

In response to the influx, frustrated local farmers have set up turnstiles, where tourists must pay 5 euros (nearly $6) to access several “Instagrammable” spots, including the Seceda and Drei Zinnen (Three Peaks) mountain ranges. 

Photos showing lines of up to 4,000 people a day, have been popping up on social media in recent weeks. But rather than deter people from coming, the images have acted as a magnet. 

The media’s been talking about the turnstiles, everyone’s been talking about it – and of course, people go where everyone else goes. They're sheep! 😂😂😂

Italian law mandates free access to natural parks, such as the Alps and Dolomites, but the landowners who set up the turnstiles say they have yet to receive any official pushback from authorities. 

But the local tourism body have petitioned authorities to close the turnstiles, insisting the issue is being overblown. The Santa Cristina Tourist Board, which oversee part of the area where the turnstiles have popped up, say they have hired four park rangers to ensure that tourists stay on the trails, don’t cross the meadows and don’t fly drones.

Beyond the public nuisance of overcrowding, the residents have to contend with badly-behaved visitors. Across the country, new ordinances have been a hallmark of the 2025 summer. 

Wearing just a swimsuit or going bare-chested in some Italian towns will attract more than a few looks. Semi-nudity could also land you a 500-euro fine – in the name of decorum. The Tuscan island of Elba and the Ligurian city of Diano Marina have both introduced summer ordinances that prohibit shirtless and swimsuit-only strutting – for both men and women – anywhere but the beach. 

And if your attire is deemed vulgar or “indecent” in the eyes of any beholder, authorities can levy smaller fines starting at 25 euros. 

In Livorno, walking barefoot is prohibited. On Sardinian beaches, you’ll get in trouble for digging holes for umbrellas, smoking, or lying on the sand without a mat. At the ever popular La Pelosa beach area, only 1,500 bathers are allowed at a time to prohibit overcrowding. 

In San Felice Circeo, a party town south of Rome where having an aperitivo on the beach is a way of life, take-away alcohol is banned both in town and on the beach. Loud music can only be blared during certain hours across much of the country, and in the southern region of Puglia, boaters risk a fine if they play music within 500 meters of the coast.

Donald Trump Declares Global Tariffs Victory

I'm sure Donald Trump is smirking and grimacing. I'm sure he has declared victory in this global tariff war. I'm sure he believes the US will reap the benefits of new revenue, rekindle domestic manufacturing, and generate hundreds of billions of dollars in foreign investment and purchases.

And so, while the short term result might be – as Trump sees it – a triumph, the impact on his overarching goals is far less certain. As are the long-term repercussions, which could well pan out rather differently for Trump – or the America he leaves behind after his current term. 

Methinks, nobody benefits from a tariff war. And right now, it is too soon to come to any conclusions yet because there will always be a lag before impact is fully seen. For now, the potential economic fallout (for the US and elsewhere) has not been realised. 

These are the major deals supposedly in the bag: 

• United Kingdom agreed to a 10 percent tariff rate on its exports to the US. It also received a 25 percent sectoral tariff on steel and aluminium – half the 50 percent being imposed on other countries.
• The European Union have agreed to a 15 percent tariff on most of their exports to the US, including cars and pharmaceuticals, in exchange for zero tariffs on select US exports and commitments to buy US gas and increase investments. Initially, Trump had threatened a 30 percent rate. 
• Japan has secured a 15 percent reciprocal tariff on its goods exported to the US, reduced from a threatened 25 percent, with Japan promising to invest $550 billion in the US economy.
• Philippines has agreed to a 19 percent tariff on its exports to the US, with zero tariffs on US exports to the Philippines, alongside commitments for enhanced military cooperation. A poor deal for the country as I had alluded to in my July 28 post.
• Vietnam has agreed to a 20 percent tariff on most exports to the US, with an additional 40 percent levy to be applied to “transshipped” goods – those entering the US via another location – while also agreeing to zero tariffs on US imports like large-engine automobiles.
• Indonesia has negotiated a 19 percent tariff on its exports to the US, down from a threatened 32 percent, by making a commitment to buy US Boeing aircraft and to remove or reduce trade barriers.
• Malaysia enjoys a reduced tariff of 19 percent on its exports and which is lower than the initially scheduled 25 percent. And I'm pretty sure the country, like Indonesia, made similar-type commitments too.
• South Korean exports to the US will enjoy a lower 15 percent tariff, in return for a $350 billion investment pledge and zero tariffs on US imports like cars and agricultural products.
• Pakistan struck a deal to jointly develop oil reserves with the US, but specific tariff rates on goods still remain unclear.

You may think there is a method to his madness. But no, actually, it boils down to his arbitrariness, his capriciousness, his volatility. And I have this nagging feeling that these tariffs are not cast in stone. With Trump, he has a propensity to amend, change and revise according to his whim and fancy, and the world should brace for it. 

We should recall that, originally, Trump has justified these tariffs as being necessary to redress US trade imbalances as well as to boost US manufacturing and jobs. Even though economists point out that deficits are not direct evidence of unfair trade practices. 

But now, it has gone beyond trade. In fact, Trump is weaponizing tariffs to blanket broader agendas, e.g., curbing immigration, combating the opioid and fentanyl crisis, and pressing allies and partners on geopolitical issues, including India’s energy ties with Russia or Brazil’s legal action against Trump ally Jair Bolsonaro. 

And lest we forget, many of the deals that have been struck have been verbal, as yet unsigned. Moreover it is uncertain if and how the strings attached to Trump's agreements – more money to be spent purchasing American energy or invested in America – will actually be delivered on. 

Not to mention that the colossal issue of China, subject to a different deadline, remains unresolved. And Mexico, on Thursday, secured a negotiating extension. And I read that Canada and Taiwan supposedly still have an opportunity to hammer out a deal. [At this point, I also can't help thinking about the penguins. 😜😜😜]. 

Putting aside all of the above, I reckon Trump's own voters will still have to pick up the tab – through higher prices, less choice and slower growth.

5 Writing Tips from the Master of Macabre: Edgar Allan Poe

Edgar Allan Poe made a career out of doom and despair, yet today, even a century after his death, he remains one of the most prolific writers the world has ever known. He might not be a textbook role model, but he knew the taste of failure, living a life that was pure chaos (some of it, definitely due to his own choices). 

With a romantic knack for the eerie and a pen dipped in melancholy, Poe wrote masterpieces including "The Tell-Tale Heart" (1843), "The Black Cat" (1843), "The Cask of Amontillado" (1846), and "The Raven" (1845). 

Much like his own life, his plots and their worlds are dark and thought-provoking, narrating tales that hit like a freight train. 

“Because of his poverty and desperate need for cash, Poe wrote expressly for the market, in commercial genres and, to the extent he could, in a commercial style. He was forced to care about pleasing readers – and to this day, he pleases readers”, said Catherina Baab-Muguira, the author of “Poe for Your Problems: Uncommon Advice from History’s Least Likely Self-Help Guru”, who did extensive research on Poe for her book. 

There is a lot to learn about writing from Poe. In this article, we’ve compiled the best writing tips from the man who won the world with his flaws.

5 Writing Tips from Edgar Allan Poe 

1. Focus on the Unity of Impression 

Poe wrote in his 1846 essay, “The Raven and The Philosophy of Composition”, about the unity of impression. 

He wrote, “If any literary work is too long to be read at one sitting, we must be content to dispense with the immensely important effect derivable from unity of impression – for if two sittings be required, the affairs of the world interfere, and everything like totality is at once destroyed”. 

Poe was always inclined towards short stories, as he believed that they held the audience’s attention better. While he wrote multiple short stories and poems, "The Narrative of Arthur Gordon Pym of Nantucket" (1938) stands as the only novel he ever wrote. 

As writers, it is important to analyze our content in bits and pieces. As Poe wrote, “What we term a long poem is, in fact, merely a succession of brief ones – that is to say, of brief poetical effects”. 

That doesn’t mean that long formats are dispensable. The audience wouldn’t mind the length of the content as long as it is broken into cohesive pieces that are easy to swallow. 

2. The Ending Is The Beginning Of The Journey 

I think, broadly, there are two types of writers: those who go with the flow, figuring out one scene after the other from beginning to end, and then the others, who are reverse – calculating from the end to the beginning. Poe was one of the latter. 

In this essay, Poe wrote, “It is only with the dénounement constantly in view that we can give a plot its indispensable air of consequence, or causation by making the incidents and especially the tone at all points, tend to the development of the intention”.

While there is nothing wrong with going with the flow, knowing the end “before anything be attempted with the pen” is definitely helpful, as it guides you, making sure that you do not go off track. 

3. Begin With the Mood, Instead of Jumping Right Into the Story 

Commonly, we take inspiration from history, current events, or dramatic events of life, and sew them together to create a narrative, filling in gaps as necessary. Poe recommends against this practice. “I prefer commencing with the consideration of an effect", Poe wrote in this essay. 

Writers should decide the emotion they intend to convey through their content before brainstorming on story, characters, and plot points. Once you decide on the core effect that you want your content to have on your readers, you are set to choose the story that matches the vision. This enables you to choose stories that can produce the effect that you have in mind.

4. Don’t Try to Teach; Express 

In his essay, "The Poetic Principle", 1850 (published after his death), Poe wrote, “A poem which is just a poem, and not trying to teach anything, is the most dignified kind”. 

I believe this holds true for most types of literature, from screenplays to novels. As a reader, I do not enjoy when I’m being forced to learn or being convinced about an idea. Maybe that’s why I do not enjoy self-help books. Therefore, focus on the expression and the effect you want to cast on your audience, and the lesson in the story will show itself on its own. 

5. Write as if You’re Solving a Mathematical Problem 

In his 1846 essay, Poe shared a detailed breakdown of how he wrote "The Raven". He wrote, “I select the Raven as most generally known. It is my design to render it manifest that no one point in its composition is referable either to an accident or intuition – that the work proceeded, step by step, to its completion with the precision and rigid consequence of a mathematical problem”. 

While everyone may not agree with this approach, I have found it helpful in practice. Looking at the story like a mathematical problem enhances structural cohesion, helps track down loopholes, and pushes past writer’s block. It brings clarity to the entire thought. 

Intuition paves the way for inspiration, but after that, solving for the variables first might be a faster and more efficient way to solve the overall equation. Try it out!

Ne Zha 2 English Trailer

Experience the global phenomenon, "Ne Zha 2", with a new English-language voice cast led by Academy Award winner Michelle Yeoh. In theaters and IMAX everywhere August 22.