The talks on Tuesday will be the first Ukraine-US meeting since a White House blow-up between Zelensky and US President Donald Trump that led to Washington halting military aid to Kyiv. "We do have a proposal for a ceasefire in the sky and ceasefire at sea," the official told AFP.

Trump's plan has already united Arab countries in opposition, with Saudi Arabia also hosting Arab leaders two weeks ago to discuss alternatives.

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia -- Saudi Arabia on Friday welcomed a meeting between the United States and Ukraine due next week in Jeddah, describing it as part of the kingdom's efforts "to end the Ukrainian crisis". Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky had announced he would travel to Saudi Arabia on Monday to...

"Release all of the Hostages now, not later, and immediately return all of the dead bodies of the people you murdered, or it is OVER for you," he wrote on his Truth Social platform after meeting freed hostages. "This is your last warning! For the leadership, now is the time...

The prospect of the Palestinian Authority (PA) governing Gaza remains far from certain, however, with Israel having ruled out any future role for the body, and Trump having closed the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) liaison office in Washington during his first term while stepping up support for Israel.

A draft version of the Egyptian plan seen by AFP lays out a five-year roadmap with a price tag of $53 billion -- about the same amount the United Nations estimated Gaza's reconstruction would cost.

Washington, United States -- Mounting trade wars between the United States and its largest economic partners deepened Tuesday as huge US tariffs on Canada, Mexico and China kicked in, sparking swift retaliation from Beijing and Ottawa. Markets fell in Asia and Europe in response to what analysts said were the...

President Donald Trump suspended military aid to Ukraine on Monday, a US official told AFP, sharply escalating pressure on Kyiv to agree to peace negotiations with Russia. The move comes just days after a stunning public clash at the White House between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky and Trump, who is...

German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said the "unspeakable" row "underlined that a new age of infamy has begun". Friedrich Merz, likely to become the country's next chancellor, said: "We must never confuse the aggressor and the victim in this terrible war", while outgoing head of state Olaf Scholz also backed...

Washington, United States  - President Donald Trump closed out a packed week at the White House after hosting a string of eager-to-please guests, and generating the usual eye-popping menu of news items. 'Did I say that?' Last week, Trump branded elected Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelensky a "dictator" -- but things...

During a tense meeting at the White House, Trump and Zelensky argued over the war with Russia, with Trump accusing Zelensky of disrespecting the US and demanding preferential access to Ukraine’s resources.

Hong Kong, China -- Bitcoin sank below $80,000 on Friday for the first time in more than three months as a sell-off in the cryptocurrency sector gathered pace amid volatility in global markets. The digital unit fell to as low as $79,525.88 in early Asian trade -- its lowest level...

Washington, United States - The Washington Post will no longer run views opposed to "personal liberties and free markets" on its opinion pages, its owner Jeff Bezos announced on Wednesday, the latest intervention by the billionaire in the major US paper's editorial operations. "We are going to be writing every...

The video, which racked up more than 15 million views on Instagram and was shared thousands of times on Trump's Truth Social network by Wednesday morning, prompted some commenters to question whether the president's accounts had been hacked.

Gaza City, Palestinian Territories -- For 500 days since an unprecedented Hamas attack on Israel triggered the Gaza Strip's deadliest war, Mohammed Abu Mursa has grappled with "humiliation, suffering and bloodshed" in his fight for survival.Abu Mursa and his family have been displaced more than a dozen times since the war...

Addis Ababa, Ethiopia - President Donald Trump's decision to suspend US overseas funding could result in millions more deaths from AIDS, the head of the UN's programme for the illness warned Sunday.The United States is the world's largest provider of official development assistance, with most funds directed through the United States...

Cairo, Egypt -- Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi told the head of the World Jewish Congress Ronald Lauder on Sunday that the establishment of a Palestinian state is "the only guarantee" for lasting peace in the Middle East.During his meeting with Lauder in Cairo on Sunday, Sisi called for starting the...

Trump sparked a global outcry with his proposal for the United States to "take over" the Gaza Strip and to move more than two million Palestinians out of the war-devastated territory, citing Egypt or Jordan as possible destinations.

London, United Kingdom -- Major stock markets mostly rallied and oil prices retreated Thursday on hopes for an end to the war in Ukraine and despite fresh tariff threats.London was a rare faller owing to sharp losses to share prices of big companies, including Unilever, Barclays and British American Tobacco, on...

Hamas has said it would postpone the release citing Israeli violations, and hours later, Trump warned that "hell" would break loose if the Palestinian militant failed to release "all" hostages by Saturday.

The statement came a day after US President Donald Trump said he could "conceivably" halt aid to Egypt and Jordan if they refuse to cooperate with his plan to take over the Gaza Strip and displace its population to their countries.

The talks come a day after Trump said he could "conceivably" halt billions of dollars in US aid to both Jordan and Egypt if they refuse to take in Palestinians that he says should be moved out from their homeland. The meeting also comes as the Gaza ceasefire appears increasingly...

The January 19 truce halted 15 months of Gaza fighting, freeing Israeli hostages in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, but tensions rose after Trump’s proposal to take over Gaza and displace its inhabitants.

Cairo, Egypt -- Egypt will host a summit of Arab nations on February 27 to discuss "the latest serious developments" concerning the Palestinian territories, its foreign ministry said in a statement on Sunday.The "emergency Arab summit" comes as Egypt has been rallying regional support against US President Donald Trump's plan to...

The United Nations and the European Union also urged Trump on Friday to reverse the decision ordering asset freezes and travel bans against ICC officials, employees and their family members, along with anyone deemed to have helped the court's investigations.

Asian markets rose Thursday, tracking gains on Wall Street and following the US Postal Service's U-turn on a ban on parcels from China and Hong Kong

Trump has floated a controversial plan to relocate Palestinians to neighboring countries, but Egypt, Jordan, and ceasefire mediator Qatar have strongly rejected any forced displacement from Gaza.

In a bid to boost prices, the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) headed by Saudi Arabia and Russian-led allies have cut supply by almost six million barrels per day (bpd) since 2022. The OPEC+ alliance has repeatedly postponed putting some of the withheld barrels back on the market.

A carbon markets investor backed by Swiss-trading house Mercuria said on Wednesday it had joined with two non-profits to raise an initial US$1.5 billion to help protect the Amazon

The US proposes an $8 billion arms deal with Israel, plans intensified strikes on Yemen's Houthis, while Israel considers cutting Gaza aid following President-elect Trump’s inauguration, signaling shifting Middle East dynamics.

The "Santa Claus rally" got off to a good start but US stocks then fell across the board on Friday, with the S&P 500 and the Nasdaq both dropping more than one percent. Tech stocks led the way, with Elon Musk's electric car giant Tesla closing around five percent lower

Washington, United States -- The United Arab Emirates has informed the United States that it will not arm paramilitaries in Sudan's brutal civil war, US lawmakers long critical of the Gulf power's role quoted the White House as saying on Thursday.The assurance came as the United States announced $200 million in...

In his first formal television interview -- and just six weeks before he takes office -- Trump again signaled that US support for Ukraine will scale back, saying he will "probably" cut the aid helping Kyiv repel the Russian invasion. Trump also said he would "very quickly" look at pardons...

Donald Trump, who has vowed to make the US the 'bitcoin and cryptocurrency capital of the world' wrote 'Congratulations Bitcoiners...You're welcome'

Without a new agreement, the eight countries which have been making voluntary additional production cuts of 2.2 million barrels per day are currently set to begin increasing production beginning in January to gradually return it to 2022 levels.

While the organization raised its 2025 global growth forecast to 3.3 percent, it cautioned that "greater trade protectionism, particularly from the largest economies" poses a "downside risk" along with geopolitical tensions and high public debts.

Washington, United States -- President-elect Donald Trump on Monday threatened to impose a 100 percent tariff on the BRICS group nations if they undercut the US dollar."We require a commitment... that they will neither create a new BRICS Currency, nor back any other Currency to replace the mighty US Dollar or,...

US President-elect Donald Trump's sweeping tariff plans target Canada, Mexico, and China, raising fears of a global trade war, with analysts predicting significant retaliation from Europe and Asia that could dampen global economic growth.

G20 leaders gather in Brazil on Monday to discuss fighting poverty, boosting climate financing and other multilateral initiatives that could yet be upended by Donald Trump's impending return to the White House

Trump’s return could shift US policy on Israel, with his Republican Party's pro-Israel stance and his preference for "America First" potentially altering military and diplomatic strategies.

Paris, France -- News outlets have begun quitting X, formerly Twitter, once a favorite of global media but now accused of enabling the spread of disinformation under its owner, president-elect Donald Trump ally Elon Musk.Citing a "harsh and extreme" climate, Sweden's newspaper of reference, the left-liberal Dagens Nyheter (DN), on Friday...

The small group of developed countries that currently contributes the money wants the donor pool expanded to include other rich nations and top emitters, including China and the Gulf states, something firmly rejected by Beijing.

President-elect Donald Trump is tapping loyalists for several key posts after signaling his desire to have his cabinet confirmed without Senate oversight.

Arab and Muslim leaders are gathering in Saudi capital city Riyadh to discuss Israeli war against Gaza and Lebanon in a bid to send a message to President-elect Donald Trump.

London, United Kingdom -- Bitcoin soared to a new record high on Sunday, as traders bet that Donald Trump's return to the White House will be good for the cryptocurrency.The digital currency passed $80,000 for the first time in its history shortly after 12:00 pm (1200 GMT).It has been rising since...

Tesla CEO Elon Musk could head a new "Department of Government Efficiency," promising $2 trillion in federal budget cuts and ensuring "fair and humane" transitions for impacted government workers.

In a unique campaign twist, Trump captured Muslim voters by pledging diplomacy, promising to end prolonged conflicts and promote stability, despite his controversial past record in the Middle East region.

Paris, France -- Donald Trump's return to the White House with his protectionist policies poses threats for the global economy, with the prospect of new trade wars, resurgent inflation and slower growth, experts sayGlobal trade threatened? During his first term in office from 2017 to 2021, Trump often resorted to punitive...

Asian markets mostly rose Tuesday a day before results from the US presidential election rolled in, with opinion polls showing a knife-edge vote, while Chinese equities were boosted by hopes over the country's economy

35 percent of CEOs worldwide identify #inflation as the most critical #economic issue facing their countries, followed by boosting #consumer #confidence, a global CEO report said