Cuba says no talks yet with U.S., open to dialogue if conditions met
Cuba’s Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío has denied that Havana and Washington have entered formal negotiations, countering recen...
President Donald Trump ended his Gulf tour with announcements of major U.S.-UAE cooperation on AI semiconductors and energy, reinforcing economic ties amid broader regional developments.
President Donald Trump concluded a four-day tour of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Friday, highlighting a series of high-value agreements between the U.S. and Gulf nations. Among the key outcomes was a preliminary agreement that paves the way for the UAE to purchase advanced AI semiconductors from American firms, supporting Abu Dhabi’s ambition to emerge as a global centre for artificial intelligence.
The AI deal comes as the UAE seeks to balance its longstanding alliance with the United States and its expanding economic partnership with China. The agreement includes provisions that data centres involved in the technology transfer be operated by U.S. companies, reflecting concerns about security and strategic oversight.
President Trump described the agreement as “a very big contract,” adding that it would contribute “billions and billions of dollars in business” and accelerate the UAE’s AI development goals.
Alongside the AI initiative, the UAE announced plans to increase its investments in the U.S. energy sector to $440 billion by 2035, up from $70 billion at present. This commitment was presented by Sultan Al Jaber, CEO of Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC), who also noted reciprocal investments from American energy firms in UAE-based projects. Key U.S. companies involved include ExxonMobil, Occidental Petroleum (Oxy), and EOG Resources.
The trip also marked follow-up actions from a previously announced $1.4 trillion UAE investment framework targeting U.S. sectors such as energy, AI, and manufacturing. A new $14.5 billion deal was confirmed between Etihad Airways and Boeing for the purchase of 28 aircraft.
On the diplomatic front, Trump met with Syria’s interim leader and confirmed the U.S. decision to lift sanctions on the country. This move, supported by Saudi Arabia, enabled an $800 million agreement between Syria and UAE-based DP World to develop the port of Tartous. Trump stated that the policy shift was unilateral and not discussed with Israel.
Commenting on broader regional policy, Trump expressed optimism about future cooperation between Syria and Israel and encouraged Syrian participation in the Abraham Accords. He also noted progress in discussions with Iran regarding a potential nuclear agreement, stating that Tehran had received a U.S. proposal and acknowledged the urgency of negotiations.
Heavy snow continued to batter northern and western Japan on Saturday (31 January) leaving cities buried under record levels of snowfall and prompting warnings from authorities. Aomori city in northern Japan recorded 167 centimetres of snow by Friday - the highest January total since 1945.
The United States accused Cuba of interfering with the work of its top diplomat in Havana on Sunday (1 February) after small groups of Cubans jeered at him during meetings with residents and church representatives.
A daylight robbery at a jewellery shop in Richmond, one of London’s most affluent and traditionally quiet districts, has heightened security concerns among residents and local businesses.
Talks with the U.S. should be pursued to secure national interests as long as "threats and unreasonable expectations" are avoided, President Masoud Pezeshkian posted on X on Tuesday (3 February).
Early voting for Thailand’s parliamentary elections began on Sunday (1 February), with more than two million eligible voters casting ballots nationwide ahead of the 8 February general election, as authorities acknowledged errors and irregularities at some polling stations.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on Tuesday inspected a thermal power plant in Kyiv that was damaged during overnight Russian attacks, as Ukraine accused Moscow of exploiting an energy truce to intensify its military campaign.
Cuba’s Deputy Foreign Minister Carlos Fernández de Cossío has denied that Havana and Washington have entered formal negotiations, countering recent assertions by U.S. President Donald Trump, while saying the island is open to dialogue under certain conditions.
The imminent expiry of New START, the last major nuclear arms control treaty between the United States and Russia, risks removing transparency, predictability and limits on the world’s two largest nuclear arsenals, political analyst Gregory Mathieu warned.
India has not made any statement on halting purchases of Russian oil despite claims by US President Donald Trump that such a step was part of a new trade accord with Washington, the Kremlin said on Tuesday (3 February).
Russia says it is prepared for a new reality in which there are no U.S.-Russian nuclear arms control limits once the New START treaty expires this week, according to Deputy Foreign Minister Sergei Ryabkov.
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