Nuclear states spent $100 billion on atomic arsenals in 2024, say ICAN
ICAN said Britain, China, France, India, Israel, North Korea, Pakistan, Russia and the United States together spent nearly $10 billion...Geostrategy
Flames and smoke in aftermath of crashed India passenger jet
While officials initially said everyone aboard was feared dead, state health official Dhananjay Dwivedi told AFP later that one passenger...Geostrategy
UAE, France discuss bilateral ties, sign AI cooperation deal
Paris, UAE - UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and French President Emmanuel Macron of France explored various...Both sides emphasized collaboration in AI, climate action, energy, and sustainable development initiatives
They signed the UAE-France Framework for Cooperation in AI, including a 1GW AI Campus investment
Israel orders army to prepare Gaza exodus plan as Trump rules out US troop deployment in the territory
Israel's Defence Minister Israel Katz ordered the military to prepare a plan for voluntary" departures from Gaza, saying Palestinians could...Trump proposes U.S. control of Gaza but rules out deploying American troops
UN warns forced displacement of Palestinians would amount to ‘ethnic cleansing
UNFPA and corporate partners drive reproductive justice in workplaces
Mariarosa Cutillo, UNFPA Chief of the Private Sector and Civil Society Branch, says businesses need to provide adequate maternal health...UNFPA emphasizes that corporate strategies can empower vulnerable communities, particularly women, by driving positive change in workplaces, Cutillo said
UNFPA's presence in 150 countries allows us to work with women and implement these targeted initiatives effectively, she added.
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,...Both US President Donald Trump and his predecessor Joe Biden have backed Israel and Saudi Arabia having diplomatic relations
Riyadh paused tentative talks on the matter early in the Gaza conflict and hardened its rhetoric as the war continued
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...Trump first made the stunning proposal to audible gasps during a joint press conference with Netanyahu on Tuesday, whom he was hosting at the White House for talks
Suggesting "long-term ownership" by the US, Trump said he would make Gaza the Riviera of the Middle East, and that "this could be something that could be so magnificient".
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...The operation has also seen troops levelling buildings in a refugee camp adjacent to Jenin, according to UNRWA spokeswoman Juliette Touma.
"Large parts of the camp were completely destroyed in a series of detonations by the Israeli forces. It is estimated that 100 houses were destroyed or heavily damaged," she said.
Risks are interconnected, need collaborative solutions, says WEF’s Mark Elsner
Davos, Switzerland – Mark Elsner, Head, Global Risks Initiative, World Economic Forum sat with TRENDS during WEF’s summit in Davos...The Global Risks Report 2025, with insights from over 900 experts, identifies state-based armed conflict as the most immediate risk for 2025.
The report was circulated ahead of the Davos meeting, which serves as a platform for advancing dialogue, cooperation, and partnerships.
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
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.
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
