Author: americalatinanews.com

NASA Chief pledges lunar base shortly

Isaacman spoke of “the hub of a nascent orbital economy”

Newly confirmed NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has announced that the United States is accelerating its space agenda, with plans to return to the Moon and establish a permanent lunar base in the near future.

In a wide-ranging interview with CNBC, the former civilian astronaut and entrepreneur Isaacman detailed a vision where the Moon serves as the primary hub for a “nascent orbital economy,” highlighting several key strategic objectives for a sustained human presence on the lunar surface. Central to this concept is the potential for lunar mining, specifically targeting Helium-3, a rare isotope found in lunar soil that could power future fusion energy reactors on Earth.

“The installation of data centers and other infrastructure on the surface, as well as the possible exploitation of helium-3, a rare gas present in lunar regolith that could become an important fuel for fusion energy,” Isaacman explained.

“We want to have that opportunity to explore and realize the scientific, economic, and national security potential on the Moon,” he also pointed out. Other planned infrastructure projects include the installation of lunar data centers, which would support further space-based communications and computing.

The Administrator noted that the lunar base is not an end goal but a stepping stone for the “Artemis” campaign. Once the base is operational, NASA intends to shift focus toward space nuclear power to sustain long-term habitats, as well as nuclear propulsion to enable faster and more efficient manned missions to Mars and deeper into the solar system.

Isaacman, a close ally of SpaceX CEO Elon Musk, emphasized that reaching these goals affordably requires collaboration with commercial contractors. He noted that SpaceX and Jeff Bezos’ Blue Origin are currently refining heavy-lift launch vehicles capable of on-orbit cryogenic propellant transfer—a technology vital for frequent trips to the lunar surface.

“That’s what’s going to enable us to be able to go to and from the Moon affordably, with great frequency, and set up for missions to Mars and beyond,” Isaacman said.

The renewed push follows the passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act,” which allocated US$9.9 billion in additional funding to NASA earlier this year.

As things are, Artemis II, a crewed test flight around the Moon, is expected in the “near future,” while Artemis III, seeking to bring humans onto the satellite’s surface, is currently being developed with SpaceX.

While permanent lunar bases have long been a staple of science fiction, Isaacman’s remarks signal that the US government now views such infrastructure as a “real and active goal” to be realized within the next decade.

Israel first country to recognize Somaliland’s sovereignty

Netanyahu’s Israel also announced immediate bilateral agreements in agriculture, technology, and health

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu officially recognized the Republic of Somaliland as an independent and sovereign state on Friday, making his country the first UN member state to grant de jure recognition to the breakaway region since it declared independence from Somalia in 1991.

The decision marks a radical departure from the African Union’s longstanding policy on the “inviolability of colonial borders.”

Netanyahu justified the recognition as an extension of the Abraham Accords, positioning Somaliland as a vital pro-Western anchor in a volatile region, such as the Horn of Africa. Additionally, military analysts point to a more immediate tactical motivation, given Somaliland’s coastline between 300 and 500 kilometers from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen.

Formal recognition allows Israel to establish a permanent presence in the Gulf of Aden, creating a southern “counter-Houthi” axis to secure vital shipping lanes.

In this scenario, Israel announced immediate bilateral agreements in agriculture, technology, and health, aiming to stabilize the region through “economic peace.”

The announcement was met with a scathing joint condemnation from Somalia, Egypt, Turkey, and Djibouti. Somali Prime Minister Hamza Abdi Barre declared the recognition “null and void,” labeling it a direct attack on Somalia’s territorial integrity. Following Israel’s announcement, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty led a series of telephone consultations with his counterparts from those countries, it was reported in Cairo.

Furthermore, regional allies of Somalia have voiced “categorical rejection” of unconfirmed reports suggesting that Israel may view Somaliland as a potential relocation site for Palestinians displaced from Gaza.

While the Somaliland government has not commented on these specific allegations, Somalia warned that it would “never accept the Palestinian people becoming stateless” on its soil.

Netanyahu’s move also shook the United States because Washington maintains a “Somalia First” policy, fearing that recognition will undermine the fight against al-Shabaab militants in Mogadishu. However, influential Republicans and security advisors see Somaliland as a critical “hedge” against Chinese expansion in neighboring Djibouti and a necessary partner for the new US naval strategy in the Red Sea.

With a UN member state now leading the way, Addis Ababa is widely expected to finalize its own recognition in exchange for the long-awaited 20-kilometer lease of Somaliland’s coastline for landlocked Ethiopia.

On the northern border, the only crossing open with Colombia is the Rumichaca International Bridge in the province of Carchi.

The closure has rendered inoperable access points used daily by the communities of Urbina, Tufino, and El Carmelo, home to some 9,000 people.

According to a report by the local television station Ecuavisa, currently, there is no vehicular traffic, and those who live in Colombia but work in agriculture and livestock farming in Ecuador are crossing on foot to reach their jobs, while goods are being carried across on their shoulders.

The Colombian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that the restriction on passage is a unilateral decision by the Ecuadorian government, adopted after analyses focused on security control and combating organized crime.

On the southern border, tourism sectors expressed concern about the economic impact of the closure with Peru, whose only access is through Huaquillas.

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Both indicators place businesses and the rest of the population in a situation of uncertainty as we approach 2026, since external volatility is hitting exports, investments, and tourism—key sectors for growth, stated economist Leiner Vargas, quoted by Teletica.com.

The main problem, the expert commented, is not the specific amount of the tariffs themselves, but rather the lack of clarity and the instability of the rules of the game caused by this increase, even though inflation and interest rates remain stable.

The appreciation of the Costa Rican money (Colon) over the past three years is driven by lower demand for dollars for imports and seasonal factors such as tourism revenue and Christmas bonus payments.

This combination of a cheap dollar and unstable tariffs creates both winners and losers.

On the one hand, Vargas explains, importers and companies with costs in that currency see a reduction in their acquisition and production costs.

On the other hand, those who produce in colones and sell in foreign markets lose competitiveness, especially in agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism.

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According to a statement from this institution, the front will move across the Gulf of Mexico coast, interacting with an atmospheric river and an upper-level trough over the Yucatan Peninsula, which will generate showers and heavy rain in the north, northeast, central, eastern, and southeastern parts of the country.

Experts expect very heavy rainfall with isolated intense downpours (75 to 150 mm) in the states of Veracruz (Huasteca Baja, Totonaca, Nautla, Papaloapan, Los Tuxtlas, and Olmeca), Puebla (Sierra Norte and Sierra Nororiental), Tamaulipas, Oaxaca, Chiapas, and Tabasco.

Additionally, very heavy, isolated showers (50 to 75 mm) are expected in Veracruz (Huasteca Alta, Capital, Sotavento, and Las Montañas), Puebla (Valle Serdan and Tehuacan-Sierra Negra), San Luis Potosi (Huasteca), Hidalgo (Huasteca, Sierra Alta, Sierra Baja, and Sierra de Tenango), and Queretaro (Sierra Gorda).

Furthermore, the Arctic air mass associated with the front will cause a drop in temperatures across northern, northeastern, eastern, and central Mexico, as well as strong northerly winds along the coasts of Tamaulipas and Veracruz, and the Isthmus and Gulf of Tehuantepec.

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