Global gold reserves have come under renewed scrutiny as bullion prices climb to historic levels, strengthening the strategic and economic significance of mineral-rich nations. Gold is currently trading at approximately $4,290 an ounce in the international market, sharply raising the value of unmined deposits and drawing attention from investors, governments and mining companies seeking long-term supply security. Against this backdrop, geological estimates highlight a small group of countries

Russia has said it has not received any official confirmation from India that the country plans to halt purchases of Russian oil, a day after U.S. President Donald Trump claimed New Delhi agreed to scale back those imports as part of a new trade agreement with Washington. Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov stated that Moscow had yet to hear directly from Indian authorities regarding any change in energy flows. While acknowledging the evolving relationship between the United States a

US President Donald Trump held an extended telephone conversation with Chinese President Xi Jinping on Wednesday, engaging in wide-ranging discussions that touched on trade ties, energy cooperation, agricultural purchases, and several pressing geopolitical concerns, according to remarks shared by the American leader. Posting about the exchange on his social media platform, Trump described the dialogue as “excellent,” emphasizing that the call was both lengthy and substantive. He

In a significant development affecting global trade and energy policy, United States President Donald Trump announced a bilateral trade agreement with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi following a direct telephone conversation on Monday. According to an official post shared by the US Ambassador to India on social media, the leaders discussed a range of strategic and economic issues, culminating in an accord that reduces key economic barriers between the two countries. In his publi

Russia, Ukraine, and the United States are set to resume trilateral negotiations aimed at ending the prolonged war in Ukraine, with the next round of talks scheduled to take place in Abu Dhabi on February 1. The development comes after the first round of discussions held last weekend failed to deliver a breakthrough, highlighting the deep divisions and complexity surrounding the conflict. Despite the absence of immediate results, the decision to continue talks reflects a shared understanding amo

United States Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has accused European nations of indirectly financing Russia’s war in Ukraine by purchasing refined oil products originating from Russian crude processed in India. His remarks come amid ongoing geopolitical tensions over energy trade and sanctions linked to the conflict in Eastern Europe. In an interview aired on Sunday, Bessent alleged that while European leaders publicly condemn Russia’s actions in Ukraine, their trade practices ar

A United States federal court has sentenced an Indian businessman to 30 months in prison for orchestrating a scheme to illegally export controlled aviation technology to Russia, in violation of strict US export regulations introduced after the Ukraine conflict. The sentencing underscores Washington’s continued focus on disrupting global supply chains used to bypass sanctions and export controls aimed at safeguarding national security. Sanjay Kaushik, 58, a New Delhi-based aviation

The United States sharply criticised Russia on Monday, January 12, for its use of a nuclear-capable Oreshnik ballistic missile in Ukraine, describing the launch as a dangerous and unjustified escalation of the ongoing conflict. The condemnation was delivered during an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council convened to address the latest developments in the war. Addressing the council, US Deputy Ambassador to the United Nations Tammy Bruce said Russia’s decision t

​Warships from China, Russia and Iran arrived in South African waters on Friday to participate in a week-long multinational naval exercise off the coast of Cape Town, drawing attention amid heightened global tensions and renewed scrutiny of South Africa’s foreign policy positioning. The exercise, titled “Will for Peace 2026,” is being conducted under the framework of the BRICS group of emerging economies and is scheduled to continue until next Friday. South Africa’s armed forces sa

The proposed India–US trade deal failed to materialise because Prime Minister Narendra Modi did not personally call US President Donald Trump, according to claims made by US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick. Speaking on a podcast, Lutnick said the final step required to close the agreement was direct communication between the two leaders, which did not happen, leading to the collapse of the negotiations. Lutnick stated that the framework of the deal had been completed and was rea

The United States intercepted and seized a Russian-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic on January 7, marking a significant escalation in its global enforcement of sanctions linked to Venezuelan oil exports. The vessel, now identified as the Marinera and previously known as Bella 1, was boarded in international waters after a pursuit that extended for more than two weeks across ocean routes from the Caribbean. U.S. European Command confirmed that the operation was conduc

The United States has seized a Russia-flagged oil tanker in the North Atlantic, escalating enforcement of American sanctions and drawing attention to an unusual maritime confrontation involving Russian military assets. The vessel, originally known as Bella-1, was taken into custody on Wednesday following a coordinated operation by US civilian and military authorities acting under a federal court warrant. According to official statements, the seizure was carried out after the tanker

A resurfaced claim from 2019 by former White House national security adviser Fiona Hill has drawn renewed global attention after a high-profile U.S. operation in Venezuela. Hill told a U.S. congressional hearing in 2019 that senior Russian officials informally signaled they would consider reducing Moscow’s support for Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro if Washington granted Russia greater latitude regarding Ukraine. The suggestion, described by Hill as a “very strange swap arrangement,?

US President Donald Trump on Sunday, January 4, claimed that India has significantly reduced its purchases of Russian oil following the imposition of steep tariffs on Indian goods by Washington. Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said his administration’s decision to levy a 50 percent tariff had prompted a response from New Delhi, while also warning that the United States could escalate trade penalties further if necessary. Trump asserted that India’s leadership acted in respo

Russian officials have sharply criticized European leaders over what they describe as inconsistent interpretations of international law, following recent statements by senior European Union figures on Venezuela’s political future. The remarks have added to growing diplomatic tensions at a time when conflicts and power struggles are reshaping global relations. Russia’s special envoy Kirill Dimitrev accused European democracies of applying selective standards when responding to in

Russia sharply criticized the United States on Saturday following reports of a large-scale military strike on Venezuela, describing the operation as an act of armed aggression and warning that the situation risks further destabilization if restraint is not exercised. The condemnation came after a series of explosions were reported in Caracas in the early hours of the morning, raising fears of a major escalation in an already volatile geopolitical standoff. In a statement issued by t

Russia’s Defence Ministry said on Thursday that it had transferred what it described as evidence showing that Ukrainian forces targeted a Russian presidential residence earlier this week, an allegation that Kyiv and Western governments have firmly rejected. The announcement adds to rising diplomatic tensions as Moscow and Washington continue discussions related to the broader war in Ukraine. According to the ministry, fragments of a Ukrainian drone recovered after an alleged attem

Newly released diplomatic transcripts have revealed that Russian President Vladimir Putin had expressed serious concerns to the United States as early as 2001 over Pakistan’s nuclear weapons programme, questioning why the West appeared largely unconcerned about a country without democratic governance possessing nuclear arms. The remarks were made during a private meeting with then US President