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Apr 12 2026TECHNOLOGY

Rare‑Earth Tensions: How China’s Moves Shake U. S. Tech Power

China tightened rules on key minerals like gallium, germanium and neodymium in 2025‑26, saying it needed to guard national security. The U. S. and the EU reacted by bolstering stockpiles, speeding up domestic projects, and seeking new suppliers. Prices jumped, but many saw the shock as short‑term.

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Apr 11 2026POLITICS

The Petrodollar Still Holds Strong, But Iran’s Moves Raise Questions

Iran keeps control of the Strait of Hormuz and lets a few ships pass for payment in yuan or crypto. The U. S. Navy plans to clear mines there, showing the route is still a point of tension. The U. S. dollar remains the main currency for buying oil worldwide, and analysts say that gives it a big a

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Apr 11 2026CRYPTO

Iran Considers Bitcoin Fees for Oil Ships

Iran may start charging oil tankers a fee in Bitcoin to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. The waterway is very important because it carries about one‑fifth of the world’s crude oil. The country wants to keep control over this narrow channel and use it as leverage in its dealings with other natio

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Apr 09 2026POLITICS

China's Moon Plan: Why 2030 Could Be a Gamechanger

China is racing to land astronauts on the moon by 2030, and it’s not just about planting a flag. While NASA’s Artemis program grabs headlines with crewed flybys, Beijing’s ambition reflects a bigger push for space leadership—one that mixes technical skill, strategic timing, and quiet rivalry. The c

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Apr 08 2026POLITICS

Who Controls the Strait? Iran’s New Toll Plan Sparks Global Concern

Iran is pushing a bold idea in ongoing war talks: charging ships to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, a narrow waterway that connects the Persian Gulf to the open ocean. This strait isn’t just any route—it’s a global lifeline. Roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil moves through here, along with food

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Apr 07 2026POLITICS

Russia Helps Iran Plan Attacks with Satellites and Cyber Tools

Russia has been using its satellites to take close pictures of many military bases and important places in the Middle East. These images were shared with Iran so it could target U. S. forces and other sites more accurately. A report from Ukrainian intelligence says the satellite work happened

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Apr 07 2026ENVIRONMENT

China Steps Up Energy Push While Middle East Tensions Rise

China’s leader Xi Jinping wants the country to build a stronger energy system fast. The push comes as conflicts in the Middle East shake up global fuel supplies. China isn’t talking much about the war itself but wants to make sure its power stays steady no matter what happens abroad. Xi didn’t ment

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Apr 06 2026FINANCE

Banking Gets a Blockchain Boost to Help Small Firms

China’s top tax and finance bodies pushed banks to use blockchain and privacy‑focused computing on Monday, aiming to make the “bank‑tax interaction” smoother and give small businesses more loan options. The State Administration of Taxation and the National Financial Regulatory Administration issued

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Apr 06 2026POLITICS

Iran Calls for Action After Power Plant Attacks

Iran’s nuclear chief wrote a letter to the director of the International Atomic Energy Agency, saying that the agency has not done enough to stop attacks on its only working nuclear power plant. He pointed out that the Bushehr plant has been hit four times, with a recent strike on April 4 killing

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Apr 05 2026TECHNOLOGY

China builds world’s fastest wind tunnel with explosive power

China opened a new kind of wind tunnel in 2023 that runs faster than any other on record. Called JF-22, it stretches 167 meters long with a four-meter wide test section. Instead of giant fans, it uses chemical explosions to whip air to Mach 30 speeds—nearly 23, 000 mph—faster than a space shuttle co

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