NASA’s Artemis II: Understanding America’s first crewed flight around the Moon since Apollo in 1972

NASA’s Artemis II: Understanding America’s first crewed flight around the Moon since Apollo in 1972

All roads to the cosmos naturally lead through the Moon, making it ideal for NASA to test new technologies and figure out how to sustain human life far from Earth, thereby preparing for future missions to Mars and beyond, Swope wrote in a commentary on the think tank’s website.

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David’s Sling: Israel’s capacity to land hammer blow in Middle East multiple wars wanes as missile stockpile thins out

David’s Sling: Israel’s capacity to land hammer blow in Middle East multiple wars wanes as missile stockpile thins out

In the following years, according to the Israeli military, the country has faced threats on “seven fronts” – from Palestinian factions in Gaza and the West Bank, armed groups in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq, Houthi forces in Yemen, and its arch foe Iran.

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US President Trump’s war escalation warning pushes Asian stocks down aand oil prices sharply higher

US President Trump’s war escalation warning pushes Asian stocks down aand oil prices sharply higher

rump again urged US allies to “build up some delayed courage” and take the lead in reopening the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting Washington may end the US-Israeli war with Iran without reopening the crucial global energy waterway, whose prolonged closure has fuelled a global energy shock and sent oil and gas prices sharply higher.

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Middle East war poses threat to construction industry in Kenya after disrupting world freight operations

Middle East war poses threat to construction industry in Kenya after disrupting world freight operations

The concerns were aired during the Mabati Rolling Mills (MRM) annual convention held in Naivasha, where the high cost of electricity, the proliferation of counterfeit goods, and the prevalence of unqualified practitioners were identified as the principal challenges confronting the industry.

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Quick and dirty: How Big Pharma bribe doctors and pharmacists with shopping trips, sightseeing tours and family travel or choice wine treats

Quick and dirty: How Big Pharma bribe doctors and pharmacists with shopping trips, sightseeing tours and family travel or choice wine treats

Some companies held “medical roundtables” and paid healthcare providers honoraria, sometimes routing funds through third-party journals (labelled as advertising) that were then funnelled to attendees or speakers. Because the events were billed as external meetings, they often bypassed internal compliance or due diligence controls.

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South African President Ramaphosa downplays withdrawal of invitation to G7 Summit in France

South African President Ramaphosa downplays withdrawal of invitation to G7 Summit in France

South Africa had been informed that the United States threatened to boycott the summit if South Africa were invited, Magwenya said, adding that South Africa would therefore not attend the meeting.

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Dominant Chinese Artificial Intelligence firms rake in huge profits in niche markets

Dominant Chinese Artificial Intelligence firms rake in huge profits in niche markets

China’s vast domestic market provides fertile ground for AI adoption. Tech giants like Alibaba have begun integrating agentic AI, linking it with their existing digital infrastructure – spanning payments, logistics, and cloud services – to convert algorithms into revenue.

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WTO projects slow global trade growth in 2026 against backdrop of rising Middle East tensions

WTO projects slow global trade growth in 2026 against backdrop of rising Middle East tensions

The WTO’s new chief economist Robert Staiger told a press conference that the “unusually strong trade growth” in 2025 was mainly driven by the frontloading of imports in North America in anticipation of higher US tariffs, as well as a surge in AI-related goods. But the two forces are “unlikely to persist through 2026,” said Staiger.

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European Central Bank says it on high alert to adjust rates if tensions in Middle East persist

European Central Bank says it on high alert to adjust rates if tensions in Middle East persist

Although the central bank had been claiming for months that it was “in a good place,” it struck a different tone on Thursday amid renewed energy price spikes driven by the US-Israeli war on Iran.

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Strait of Hormuz closure forces Trump to waive Jones Act to curb rise in oil prices, hurt world economies

US President Donald Trump on Wednesday waived the Jones Act for 60 days in an effort to curb rising oil prices caused by the closure of the Strait of Hormuz off the coast of Iran. The Jones Act requires that all goods transported between US ports must be carried solely...

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