Libya is set to hold its first bidding round for oil exploration in over 17 years, marking a significant step in its efforts to attract foreign investment and boost production. Masoud Suleman, acting Chairman of the National Oil Corporation (NOC), announced the plan in a televised address on Monday.

As Africa’s second-largest oil producer and a key member of OPEC, Libya has long struggled with political instability that has deterred foreign investment.

Global copper demand is rising far more rapidly than the industry had anticipated, driven by massive investments in power infrastructure needed to support both the digital economy and the clean energy transition. These investments, totaling over $400 billion this year alone, according to the International Energy Agency, are fueling a surge in demand for copper, a metal prized for its conductivity, durability, and versatility, particularly in grid construction and electrical transmission systems.

At the same time, copper supply is increasingly constrained due to underinvestment in new mining projects in major producing countries like Chile and the Democratic Republic of Congo. This widening gap between demand and supply is setting the stage for sustained high prices. Some analysts forecast that copper could exceed $12,000 per metric ton before the end of the decade, up significantly from the current price of around $9,700.

Denmark will increase its military budget by 50 billion crowns ($6.99 billion) over the next two years to address urgent deficiencies, particularly in surface-to-air missile defense systems, Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen announced on Wednesday. Following decades of defense cuts, Denmark had already pledged an additional 190 billion…