OpenAI faces backlash over Pentagon AI deal
OpenAI is facing online backlash after signing a deal with the United States Department of Defense to deploy its AI...
Geostrategy
Saudi Arabia’s sports fund invests in DAZN streaming service
Paris, France - Saudi Arabian sports investment fund SURJ, linked to the kingdom's sovereign wealth fund, has acquired a minority stake...
Business
Trump threatens 100% tariff on BRICS countries over currency plans
Washington, United States - President-elect Donald Trump on Monday threatened to impose a 100 percent tariff on the BRICS group nations...
- The statement comes after a BRICS summit held last month in Kazan, Russia, where the countries discussed boosting non-dollar transactions and strengthening local currencies
- The BRICS group has expanded significantly since its inception in 2009, and now includes countries such as Iran, Egypt and the United Arab Emirates
Geostrategy
Iran-Europe nuclear talks on as global tensions escalate ahead of Trump’s return
The stakes were laid bare in a warning from Britain's foreign intelligence chief that Iran's nuclear ambitions posed a major...
- Following the talks in Geneva, shrouded in an unusual level of secrecy, the parties to social media to say the discussions had focused on Iran's nuclear program and sanctions
- The sides had "agreed to continue diplomatic dialogue in the near future", the German foreign ministry and the high-level diplomats representing France, Britain and Iran said
Israel PM again warns Iran after top diplomat talks of revising nuclear doctrine if more sanctions imposed
The renewed war of words between the Middle East foes came as Iran prepares to hold key nuclear talks with...
- Israel is the region's sole, if undeclared, nuclear-armed state, and it has long made preventing any rival from matching it its top defence priority
- Netanyahu said that the ceasefire that went into effect in Lebanon the following day would allow Israel to focus on Iran, but he did not elaborate on what action he envisaged
Geostrategy
Iran says may end nuclear arms ban if sanctions reimposed
Iran is set to meet with Britain, France and Germany for talks on its nuclear program on Friday after the...
- Iran is set to meet with Britain, France and Germany for talks on its nuclear program on Friday
- For Tehran, the goal of the talks on Friday is to avoid a "double disaster" scenario
Palestinian leader Abbas lays ground for succession
Palestinian president Mahmud Abbas announced his replacement . Under current Palestinian law, the speaker of the Palestinian Legislative Council (PLC)...
- Abbas, 89, still rules despite his term as head of the Palestinian Authority ending in 2009
- The decree comes on the same day that a ceasefire entered into force in Lebanon
Five forgotten conflicts of 2024
he wars in the Mideast and Ukraine-Russia have dominated world headlines in 2024 but several other conflicts are ravaging countries...
- The conflict in Sudan has left tens of thousands dead and some 26 million facing severe food insecurity
- THe Democratic Republic of Congo has endured internal and cross-border violence for over 30 years
Geostrategy
Biden-brokered truce deal halts Israel-Hezbollah war; Netanyahu plans to go full force against Gaza and Iran
Under US-brokered terms, Lebanon's army regains border control, curbing Hezbollah activity, while Israel vows to maintain security operations if threats...
- US President Joe Biden announced the ceasefire agreement on Tuesday, as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his ministers had agreed to a halt
- Under the terms of the Lebanon truce, Israel will maintain "full" freedom to act against Hezbollah should the Iran-backed group pose any new threat, Netanyahu said
Geostrategy
Israel intensifies attacks before ceasefire deadline as Lebanon seeks “immediate halt”
US president says ceasefire takes effect on Wednesday at 4:00 AM Beirut time, as Lebanese officials accuse Israel of trying...
- The US and France have spearheaded the truce efforts, and G7 foreign ministers in Italy called on for an "immediate ceasefire"
- The international community is called upon to act swiftly to stop this [Israeli] aggression and implement an immediate ceasefire, says Lebanese PM
Geostrategy
EU urges immediate halt to Israel-Hezbollah war as Israeli attacks kill more in Gaza and Lebanon
Israeli attacks have killed dozens in Gaza and Lebanon is the past 24 hours, while EU chief visits Beirut asking...
- Dozens feared killed, including women and children, in Gaza and Lebanon in Israeli attacks in the past 24 hours
- European Union chief says the EU is ready to provide 200 million euros ($208 million) to help bolster the Lebanese armed forces
Geostrategy
Rocket fire wounds four UN peacekeepers in Lebanon
Italian Defence Minister Guido Crosetto said two 122 mm rockets appeared to have hit a bunker on the base. The...
- "UNIFIL strongly urges combating parties to avoid fighting next to its positions"
- The peacekeepers were wounded by shards of glass when windows shattered
OpenAI faces backlash over Pentagon AI deal
OpenAI is facing online backlash after signing a deal with the United States Department of Defense to deploy its AI...
Geostrategy
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Risks are interconnected, need collaborative solutions, says WEF’s Mark Elsner
World Economic Forum
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Saudi Arabia says no Israel normalization without Palestinian state
Riyadh, Saudi Arabia - Saudi Arabia said Wednesday it will not formalize ties with Israel unless a Palestinian state is established,...
Geostrategy
Trump doubles down on Gaza shock plan, says Israel will turn over the territory to US
Trump said that by the time of the handover, Palestinians "would have already been resettled in far safer and more...
Geostrategy
West Bank’s Jenin camp going in ‘catastrophic direction’: UNRWA
The Israeli military launched a major offensive in the West Bank on January 21 aimed at rooting out Palestinian armed...
Geostrategy
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Geostrategy
Trump, Netanyahu to discuss Gaza ceasefire, regional stability in White House meeting
Trump has floated a controversial plan to relocate Palestinians to neighboring countries, but Egypt, Jordan, and ceasefire mediator Qatar have...
- Netanyahu is in Washington for talks with the new Trump administration on a second, longer-term phase of Israel's fragile truce with the Palestinian group Hamas
- Trump has meanwhile repeatedly touted a plan to "clean out" Gaza, calling for Palestinians to move to neighboring countries such as Egypt or Jordan
Business
OPEC+ sticks to oil output plan after Trump’s price demand
In a bid to boost prices, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) headed by Saudi Arabia and Russian-led allies...
- In December, eight OPEC+ countries announced they would start phasing out 2.2 million bpd of voluntary supply cuts from April.
- The decision to stick to the alliance's timetable to unwind cuts comes after Trump said last month that he would ask Saudi Arabia and OPEC to lower oil prices.
Geostrategy
Syrian President’s first foreign trip to Saudi Arabia signals Syria’s shift away from Iran’s influence.
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh, marking his first foreign visit and signaling...
- Al-Sharaa’s visit signals Syria’s pivot away from Iran and closer ties with the Gulf states
- Saudi Arabia is leading efforts to reintegrate Syria into the regional fold and push for sanctions relief