Tuesday☕️

04 Mar 2025 — 6 min read

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Yesterday, March 3, 2025, Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC) announced alongside President Donald Trump at the White House an additional $100 billion investment in semiconductor manufacturing in the United States. This investment will support the construction of three new fabrication plants, two advanced packaging facilities, and a research and development center in Arizona, increasing TSMC’s total U.S. investment to $165 billion. The expansion is part of broader efforts to strengthen domestic semiconductor production, reduce reliance on foreign supply chains, and enhance national security.
Full announcement:

TSMC is currently the most advanced semiconductor manufacturer in the world, producing chips for companies like NVIDIA, Apple, and AMD. A significant portion of the global semiconductor industry depends on TSMC’s manufacturing capabilities, making its expansion into the U.S. a notable shift in the sector. NVIDIA and other leading technology firms rely on TSMC to fabricate and refine their chips, reinforcing the company’s pivotal role in the global supply chain. With TSMC holding over 60% of the global foundry market, this move is seen as a step toward increasing U.S. semiconductor manufacturing capacity while reducing vulnerabilities associated with global supply chain disruptions.

Economics & Markets:

Geopolitics & Military Activity:

Over the past day, the city of Odesa in Ukraine has been hit by a major drone attack launched by Russia. The attack, using Geranium-2 drones, targeted key power stations, causing widespread electricity outages. The regional governor, Oleh Kiper, declared an air raid alert as the situation unfolded. In addition to power cuts, the attack also damaged three boiler plants, disrupting heating for many residents. Local officials are now working to restore essential services by finding alternative power sources.

This attack comes after Ukraine carried out strikes on Russian oil refineries and energy facilities deep inside Russian territory. Ukrainian drones have hit sites like the Ufa oil refinery and a key oil pumping station, causing major disruptions to Russia’s oil supply and transportation. Both countries are increasingly focusing on attacking each other’s infrastructure, which is making the conflict even more intense. These strikes are not just military actions—they are also aimed at weakening each other’s economies and logistics.

Environment & Weather:

Over the past few days, powerful dust storms have swept through parts of New Mexico and Texas, creating dangerous conditions. On Saturday, March 1, a massive dust storm, known as a “haboob,” struck the El Paso area and surrounding regions. Strong winds, reaching up to 80 mph, picked up large amounts of dust and sand, creating a wall of debris that stretched for miles. Visibility on major highways, including I-10 and I-25, dropped to nearly zero, leading to a major pileup that killed four people. Flights at El Paso International Airport were also affected, as visibility was reduced to just a quarter-mile. Emergency crews worked to clear the wreckage and assist stranded drivers, highlighting how quickly these storms can create life-threatening conditions.

This was not the only dust storm to hit the region recently. On March 2nd and 3rd, additional dust storms swept through Texas and New Mexico, bringing more dangerous driving conditions and travel disruptions. These storms are common in the region, especially in late winter and early spring when strong winds lift loose soil into the air. Prolonged drought, sparse vegetation, and frequent high winds make these events even more intense. Besides affecting transportation, dust storms pose risks to health by reducing air quality and increasing respiratory issues for people in affected areas. With these conditions persisting, residents and travelers are urged to stay updated on weather alerts and take precautions during high-wind events.

Over the past two days, heavy rain has caused serious flooding in Telde, a city on Gran Canaria in Spain’s Canary Islands. A reservoir overflowed, releasing about 700,000 liters of water, which swept away cars, though no casualties have been reported. Roads were heavily impacted, especially the main highway between Las Palmas de Gran Canaria, the airport, and popular tourist areas in the south. Other towns, including Las Palmas, Arucas, Teror, Santa Brígida, and Valsequillo, also experienced flooding and road closures. Weather officials have warned that more rain could be coming, and people in the area are being advised to stay alert and avoid unnecessary travel.

Science & Technology:

The Golden Dome has begun development as the United States’ next-generation missile defense system. After the announcement on January 27, 2025, work officially started on building a powerful shield to protect the U.S. from ballistic, hypersonic, and cruise missile threats. Inspired by Israel’s Iron Dome, this system aims to create an impenetrable defense over the U.S. While America already has missile defense systems like Ground-based Midcourse Defense (GMD), Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD), and Aegis, these systems have not received major upgrades in years and can only intercept a limited number of warheads. The Golden Dome will significantly expand these capabilities, ensuring the U.S. can counter a larger and more sophisticated range of threats.

A key part of this system is the Next Generation Interceptor (NGI), designed to stop enemy missiles before they reach U.S. airspace. It will work alongside THAAD, which uses hit-to-kill technology to destroy missiles at high altitudes, and Aegis, a naval-based system that provides mobile missile interception. The system will also include high-speed tracking radars, space-based early warning satellites, and the real-time Command, Control, Battle Management, and Communications (C2BMC) system, which will coordinate defenses instantly when a threat is detected.
The U.S. already operates THAAD batteries in key locations such as Guam, South Korea, and the Middle East, while Aegis-equipped naval vessels patrol worldwide. Radar installations in Alaska, Japan, Hawaii, and Europe provide early warning, but they do not form a complete protective shield over the U.S. mainland. Not only does the Golden Dome represent the next step in America’s defense capabilities, but also sets a new global standard for missile defense technology.

Statistic: