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Trump's military interventions concern China despite there being no direct risk
Trump's military interventions concern China despite there being no direct risk
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World News Update: Gaza Border to Reopen, Central Asia Booms, Blue Origin Shifts Focus, and More
Several significant global developments unfolded this week, ranging from geopolitical shifts in the Middle East to economic trends in Central Asia and strategic realignments in the space industry.
Israel announced on Friday that the Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt would reopen in both directions on Sunday, January 31, 2026. According to COGAT, the Israeli military body in charge of coordinating aid to Gaza, this reopening would allow for "limited movement of people only." While Gaza has four other border crossings, Rafah is the only one connecting the territory to a country other than Israel. The reopening marks a step forward for U.S. President Donald Trump's ceasefire plan, according to reports.
Meanwhile, Central Asia is experiencing a period of economic growth. The Eurasian Development Bank (EDB) reported that the region's economy grew by approximately 6.6% in 2025 and is projected to expand by roughly 6.1% in 2026. These figures, which include data from Kazakhstan, the Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan, are significantly more optimistic than forecasts for major advanced economies. The EDB projects US growth at around 1.6% and euro area growth at about 1.1% in 2026. Data from Turkmenistan was not included due to limitations.
In the space sector, Jeff Bezos' Blue Origin announced a pause in its space tourism flights for at least two years. The company stated on Friday that it would be focusing all of its resources on upcoming missions to the moon. This decision temporarily halts a program that has been flying humans past the Kármán line, the recognized boundary of space, for the last five years. The announcement comes just weeks before the expected third launch of Blue Origin's New Glenn mega-rocket, slated for late February. While the company had previously suggested using the third New Glenn launch to send its robotic lunar lander to the moon, the spacecraft is still undergoing testing at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Texas. President Trump has reportedly put pressure on the company since retaking office.
In other news, the French Air and Space Force conducted a major military exercise this week, testing its rapid response capabilities. The exercise, known as Topaze, simulated an armed drone incursion on one of the neighboring airbases of Mont-de-Marsan. Units in Mont-de-Marsan had only seven hours' notice to prepare.
Finally, the personal AI assistant formerly known as Clawdbot has settled on a new name: OpenClaw. This follows a legal challenge from Anthropic, the maker of Claude, which led to a brief rebranding as Moltbot. According to Peter Steinberger, the Austrian developer and original creator of OpenClaw, the latest name change was not prompted by Anthropic. "I got someone to help with researching trademarks for OpenClaw and also asked OpenAI for permission just to be sure," Steinberger told TechCrunch via email. He also wrote in a blog post that "The lobster has molted into its final form."
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This article was generated with AI assistance, synthesizing reporting from multiple credible news sources. Our editorial team reviews AI-generated content for accuracy.
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