Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman announced Monday that the Kingdom plans to produce "yellowcake," a uranium concentrate used as fuel for nuclear power plants, and to enrich and sell uranium globally. The statement, made at an energy conference, highlights Saudi Arabia’s ambitions to expand its nuclear program and diversify its economy beyond oil.
Polish President Andrzej Duda has urged his government not to arrest Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should he attend the upcoming Auschwitz liberation anniversary event. The International Criminal Court (ICC) issued an arrest warrant for Netanyahu in November over alleged war crimes during the Gaza war, but Duda emphasized the importance of Netanyahu’s presence at the commemoration.
A leaked list of New Year’s Eve arrests in Berlin has reignited debate over crime and immigration in Germany. Official police statements claimed most suspects were adult German nationals, but the leaked list suggests many individuals had names commonly associated with migrant backgrounds.
CNN's recent story featuring correspondent Clarissa Ward purportedly rescuing a Syrian prisoner has come under intense scrutiny after a Syrian fact-checking organization suggested the man may not be who he claimed to be. The prisoner, initially identified by CNN as Adel Ghurbal, a supposed rebel fighter, is now suspected of being Salama Mohammed “Abu Hamza” Salama, a known torturer and corrupt official within the Assad regime’s Air Force Intelligence.
Hamas has agreed to meet two major Israeli demands in ongoing ceasefire talks, including allowing the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) to remain in Gaza during a pause in fighting, according to The Wall Street Journal. The terrorist group also provided a list of hostages, including American citizens, marking a significant development toward a potential ceasefire agreement.
Hamas, the Sunni jihadist group ruling Gaza, applauded the overthrow of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad regime by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an al-Qaeda-linked terrorist organization. In a statement Monday, Hamas hailed the "aspirations for freedom and justice" of the Syrian people and urged national unity. HTS’s November campaign rapidly toppled Assad’s forces, leading to his flight to Moscow over the weekend.
Saudi Arabia, under the leadership of its crown prince, has attempted to portray itself as a progressive force on the global stage by committing to fight violence against women and heading a UN commission.