In eastern India, a killer elephant killed 22 people in ten days, including an entire family and an expert. Authorities have lost control, residents are ordered to stay indoors.
Indian refiners are changing their oil import strategy, reducing purchases from Russia and increasing supplies from the Middle East. This could help New Delhi conclude a trade deal with the United States and lower tariffs.
Usha Vance, wife of US Vice President JD Vance, announced she is expecting their fourth child. They already have three children: Ewan (2017), Vivek (2020), and Mirabel (2021).
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent stated that President Trump can impose 500% tariffs on countries buying Russian oil without Senate approval. He also highlighted Europe and China's purchases of Russian oil.
Ursula von der Leyen stated the need for a new form of European independence due to geopolitical upheavals. She emphasized the importance of trade agreements and cooperation with the United States.
Donald Trump has invited a number of countries to his "Peace Council for Gaza" to implement a 20-point plan. The signing ceremony is scheduled for this Thursday in Davos.
Indian company Mangalore Refinery and Petrochemicals Ltd is considering purchasing Venezuelan oil, having ceased importing Russian crude due to sanctions. MRPL adheres to sanctions and does not import Russian oil.
Pakistani forces repelled a militant attack in Balochistan, eliminating 12 attackers who attempted to take hostages at a police station. The terrorists stole millions of rupees from banks but were killed in a shootout.
OpenAI is starting to test ads in ChatGPT for users in the US, including the free version and a new budget-friendly "Go" plan for $8 a month. More expensive subscriptions will remain ad-free, and ads will not affect the AI's objectivity.
The Iranian dry cargo ship Rona, en route to Astrakhan from an Iranian port, crashed in the Caspian Sea. The crew of 14 people was rescued by the coastal services of Turkmenistan.
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz suggested that the EU and India could sign a free trade agreement by the end of January after meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. The presidents of the European Commission and the European Council will visit India to sign the agreement if it is finally agreed upon.
Asian stock markets opened the week with gains due to positive US employment data. Oil prices are rising amid escalating protests in Iran.
Russia's crude oil production experienced its largest drop in 18 months in December. This was attributed to Western sanctions and active Ukrainian drone strikes on energy infrastructure.
US President Donald Trump supported a bipartisan bill on sanctions against Russia. The document will allow punishing countries that buy Russian oil, which finances the war.
The foreign ministers of Germany, France, and Poland will hold a meeting in Paris. The main topic of discussion will be support for Ukraine.
India's largest holding company, Reliance Industries, said it does not expect deliveries of Russian crude oil in January and has not received such shipments in the past three weeks. This could reduce India's imports of Russian oil to their lowest level in years.
US President Donald Trump has announced his intention to accelerate arms production for allies to shorten the multi-year delivery times for aircraft and helicopters. He plans to strictly control defense companies to avoid delays in the supply of military equipment.
The European Commission and the British regulator Ofcom are demanding explanations from X over the dissemination of intimate images created by Grok AI. European Commission spokesman Thomas Regnier stated that such content grossly violates European law.
Following the ouster of Nicolás Maduro in early 2026, international creditors have intensified their struggle to recover Venezuela's $150-170 billion foreign debt. The main players are China, Russia, bondholders, and energy giants, while restructuring is complicated by US sanctions and a lack of cooperation with the IMF.
Grok, integrated into X, generates sexualized images of real people, including minors. xAI denies the accusations, and Elon Musk responds with a laughing-crying emoji.
The cause was bacterial contamination of drinking water due to a pipeline leak.
Precious metals resumed their rally at the beginning of the new year, continuing the unprecedented growth of 2025, supported by geopolitical tensions and expectations of interest rate cuts. Gold rose 1.4% to $4372.35 per ounce, silver rose 3.6% to $73.79 per ounce.
Three tankers carrying almost 2. 2 million barrels of Urals crude are heading to Reliance Industries Ltd.'s Jamnagar refinery in India. This comes after the plant resumed purchases of Russian oil for domestic production.
The share of oil and gas revenues in Russia's budget will decrease to 23% this year, compared to 50% a few years ago. The reason is the war against Ukraine and sanctions that force Russia to sell oil at significant discounts.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed hope that the leaders of these countries would express deep concern about Russia's real attacks on civilian targets in Ukraine and solidarity with Ukraine, against which Russia has been waging an unjustified and unprovoked aggression for the fourth year.
New Delhi recorded its worst air pollution in nearly a decade this winter, leading to rare public protests and criticism of the government. The Air Quality Index exceeded 300 on 88% of days in November and December, the highest since 2017.
Oil prices were little changed on Wednesday but are expected to fall by more than 15% over 2025. This is due to fears of oversupply, despite wars, tariffs, and sanctions.
The Federation Council of the Russian Federation approved a resolution codifying the Kremlin's foreign policy course for long-term confrontation with the West. The document provides for the reorientation of foreign relations to Asia, Africa, and Latin America.
Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine, Heorhiy Tikhyi, stated that Russia invented the mystification about the attack on the residence – all they needed was to create a false justification for Russia's rejection of peace efforts.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiha commented on Russia's statements about an alleged attack on Putin's residence. He noted that Russia has still not provided any credible evidence for its accusations, and there was no attack.
