By Prof. (Dr.) Nishakant Ojha - February 14, 2025 - At the Verge of a New Beginning A new geopolitical force is emerging—an independent Arab bloc wielding economic strength, military self-reliance, and diplomatic influence. No longer just an energy supplier or regional player, the Arab world is evolving into a strategic powerhouse, shaping global policies, alliances, and technological progress. Historically, the Arab world aligned with either Western powers or Eastern blocs like BRICS. However, the dynamics are shifting. As Arab nations reduce their dependence on the West and diversify alliances, they are positioning themselves as a third power, independent of the U.S.-led order and the China-Russia axis. This transformation is driven by economic diversification, military modernization, and shifting energy policies. U.S. foreign policy under Donald Trump has inadvertently pushed the Arab world towards self-reliance, while Russia and China must now adapt to a more independent Arab bloc.
Read MoreBy Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D. - February 11, 2025 - Oil prices, Ukraine in NATO, the decimation of the Russian military and what about a meeting between President Donald J. Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin? FOX News Radio White House Correspondent Jared Halpern and I talked it all over on the FOX News Rundown, Full clip here, beginning at 12:08 and catch these edited highlights below. First Halpern played some of Trump’s recent remarks: “President Zelensky would like to have peace, he’s told me that very strongly,” Trump said and “OPEC ought to get on the ball and drop the price of oil and that war will stop right away.” Then came my turn to react. “Trump is serious about change in the Ukraine war,” I said. “Biden’s policy was, as long as it takes. Trump’s policy is ‘end this war now.’ The thing he’s finding is that there are certain conditions he needs to set to make that happen. The number one condition, already done, is to continue military aid to Ukraine. Next is his second move, and that is to tell Russia that they are going to have to face some consequences, if Putin won’t come to the bargaining table. That of course is the big issue: Putin has not been ready to negotiate.
Read MoreBy Paolo von Schirach - February 05, 2025 - In 2021–2023, 40.3% of adults in the U.S. had obesity. The primary causes are bad diet and lack of exercise. Too many ultra processed foods, and a sedentary lifestyle. One of the main consequences of obesity is type 2 diabetes. It costs almost $ 20,000 a year to treat a type 2 diabetes patient in America. In 2022 the total estimated cost of diagnosed type 2 diabetes in the U.S. was $412.9 billion, including $306.6 billion in direct medical costs and $106.3 billion in indirect costs attributable to diabetes. These expenditures and others (also related to treating chronic conditions) help explain the massive health care spending in the U.S. that has now reached almost 18% of GDP, much more than the 10% average among developed countries. Sugary beverages are part of the problem In most cases type 2 diabetes is about bad diet and lack of exercise. Already years ago, a study by the Atlanta based Centers for Disease Control, (CDC), documented that overconsumption of sugary sodas is a big component of this bad diet. On average, a can of soda contains the equivalent of 10 to 12 teaspoons of sugar. Too much sugar ingested regularly is essentially like absorbing daily a low-level poison.
Read MoreBy Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D. - February 03, 2025 - Donald Trump Must Guard Spectrum for Radars to Defend the USA: No, the U.S. military cannot share a critical piece of S-band radar spectrum with commercial 5G wireless providers. Not if the new Trump administration wants to improve defenses against mystery drones and guard against threats of missiles from China and Russia. “President Trump has talked about an Iron Dome for America,” incoming National Security Mike Waltz told CBS News, referring to Israel’s missile defense system. “That needs to include drones as well, not just adversarial actions like hypersonic missiles,” Waltz said. The priority is clear. However, if the new Trump administration is serious about missile defense for the United States, or any improvements at all, the new team will have to engage on the priority of keeping S-band spectrum clear for military radars that track those missiles and drones. The U.S. military relies on a slew of S-band radars to carry out critical missile tracking. During the Biden years, an idea took shape that the military might be able to share the S-band spectrum with commercial 5G wireless companies in order to meet growing consumer demand.
Read MoreBy Janice Tagoe, MBA, MSc. - January 31, 2025 - AI is set to transform the way we approach cancer care. During the January 21, 2025 announcement of the $500 billion “Stargate” AI infrastructure project at the White House, Oracle Chairman Larry Ellison highlighted AI’s immense potential in healthcare, specifically in cancer detection and treatment. Ellison painted a future where AI could detect cancer through a simple blood test and create personalized cancer vaccines in just 48 hours. “This is the promise of AI and the promise of the future,” he remarked. These advancements are no longer confined to imagination. Researchers and institutions around the world are making tremendous progress in applying AI to cancer treatment and research, and the results are already changing lives. A New Era in Early Detection and Personalized Treatment Indeed, AI is becoming an indispensable tool in the fight against cancer, especially in early detection and tailored treatments. At Harvard Medical School researchers have created an advanced AI tool that diagnoses cancer, recommends customized therapies, and predicts patient survival across various cancer types. Similarly, Stanford Medicine has launched an AI-powered system that analyzes medical images and clinical data to predict cancer prognosis and guide treatment more effectively.
Read MoreBy Rebecca L. Grant, Ph.D. - January 29, 2025 - Host Brian Kilmeade and I discussed the Gaza hostage deal, the heavy U.S. military pressure on Iran including rotation of five separate aircraft carriers, the defense of Israel with U.S. Navy destroyers, Saudi Arabia’s plans for investment in AI, and the status of Iran’s nuclear enrichment. The interview wrapped up with a discussion of the number one geo-strategic problem left by Biden: the Russia-China alliance, with North Korea and Iran tacked on. Highlights from the Jan. 15 interview follow or listen here. On the Gaza hostage deal, Kilmeade pointed out: Abu Sinwar was in prison for 20 years. He ends up heading up the biggest death and destruction to Israel in modern times. I’m worried about the thousands of prisoners about to be released. Are you?
Read MoreBy Janice Tagoe, MBA, MSc. - January 27, 2025 - NVIDIA’s groundbreaking innovation, Project Digits, is making waves in the tech industry. This personal AI supercomputer promises to bring high-performance AI computing to everyone, from seasoned professionals to curious students. With cutting-edge features and an accessible price point, it is poised to reshape the future of data analytics and AI development. The desktop revolution At the core of Project Digits lies NVIDIA's GB10 Grace Blackwell Superchip, offering up to one petaflop of AI performance at FP4 precision. Historically, this level of power was reserved for massive data centers, but NVIDIA has packaged it into a compact desktop unit. This allows researchers and professionals to train and deploy advanced AI models right from their desks, eliminating the need for external servers.
Read MoreBy Paolo von Schirach - January 24, 2025 - For the time being, a world running on clean, affordable, and reliable renewable energy is an aspiration, rather than an achievable goal. While great progress has been made in reducing the cost of solar panels and wind turbines, we are still at the very beginning of a long process. According to reports from the International Renewable Energy Agency (IRENA), in 2022, renewable energy accounted for 29.1% of global electricity generation. This percentage would include hydro power and nuclear power, “old” sources of renewable energy. Almost 30% may look good; but clearly it is not nearly enough to make any significant progress towards ambitious “net zero” goals, let alone creating a path to the reduction of existing levels of CO2 already in the atmosphere.
Read MoreOn January 13, 2025, the Global Policy Institute (GPI) and Ajeenkya DY Patil University (ADYPU) in India signed a landmark Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) during the International Seminar on Strategic Geopolitics and Security Issues at ADYPU. This agreement establishes a dedicated ADYPU-GPI Chapter—an important step in advancing collaborative research, fostering academic exchange, and developing policy frameworks on pressing geopolitical and security challenges. Under this new partnership, GPI will work closely with ADYPU and Bay Atlantic University (BAU) to cultivate innovative insights into strategic geopolitics, particularly in the Indo-Pacific region. Through joint seminars, workshops, and publications, the ADYPU-GPI Chapter aims to promote dialogue around international security, global governance, and emerging policy issues. By uniting thought leaders, academics, policymakers, and students from multiple disciplines, this initiative will generate cross-border perspectives to help shape effective solutions for critical global concerns.
Read MoreThe International Seminar on "Strategic Geopolitics and Security Issues," aims to provide a platform for global discourse on the challenges and opportunities in geopolitics and security. The event will bring together esteemed academics, policymakers, and students to deliberate on pressing issues like Indo-Pacific regional security and strategic policymaking. Key sessions include inaugural addresses, a keynote lecture by Prof. Paolo von Schirach, and discussions on topics such as Indo - Pacific: Challenges and Opportunities, making it pivotal event for fostering understanding and collaboration in global strategic studies.
Read More