Iran rejects UN nuclear watchdog referral to Security Council
Iran has rejected as “irrelevant” a UN nuclear watchdog resolution referring its nuclear file to the UN Security Council, arguing that ...
President Donald Trump has announced the development of a sweeping new missile defense initiative dubbed the “Golden Dome,” a multibillion-dollar system designed to shield the U.S. from next-generation threats, including hypersonic and space-launched missiles.
U.S. President Donald Trump announced that a design has been selected for the futuristic "Golden Dome" missile defense system, which he says will be operational by the end of his current term. The system is intended to protect the U.S. from advanced aerial threats, including ballistic missiles, cruise missiles, and other next-generation weapons.
Just days after returning to the White House in January, Trump directed the Department of Defense to develop plans for a comprehensive missile defense system. He described such threats as “the most catastrophic” facing the United States.
The Golden Dome will incorporate cutting-edge technologies across land, sea, and space, including space-based sensors and interceptors. Trump said the U.S. would invest $25 billion initially, with total costs projected to reach $175 billion—though other government estimates suggest it could exceed $500 billion over two decades.
The program will be led by Space Force General Michael Guetlein, who is currently serving as vice chief of space operations.
Inspired by Israel’s Iron Dome, the Golden Dome is envisioned as a far more expansive system. It would be capable of neutralizing a broad array of threats, such as hypersonic missiles and fractional orbital bombardment systems (FOBS), which can deliver warheads from space. Trump claimed the system will be able to intercept threats from anywhere in the world and achieve near-perfect accuracy.
During a press event in the Oval Office, Trump confirmed that Canada had expressed interest in joining the initiative. Former Canadian defense minister Bill Blair previously stated that participation in the project aligns with Canada’s national security interests, particularly with regard to threats in the Arctic.
U.S. defense officials have emphasized that the Golden Dome will provide multi-layered protection, targeting threats before launch, during flight, and at various stages of deployment. The entire system will be centrally commanded to ensure rapid response and coordination.
Trump has tied initial funding to his broader One Big Beautiful Bill, which is still pending in Congress. Meanwhile, the Congressional Budget Office has warned that the costs could balloon significantly, particularly for the space-based elements of the program.
“There’s really no system right now,” Trump said. “There are certain capabilities, but nothing comprehensive. This will be a game-changer.”
A recent report from the Defense Intelligence Agency supports that concern, warning that countries like China and Russia are actively developing missiles designed to bypass current U.S. defenses.
Four people were killed, including a child, in Ukrainian strikes on the Russian port city of Novorossiysk overnight, according to the governor of the Krasnodar region. Ukraine's drone forces commander, Robert Brovdi, said Russian military ships were destroyed in the attacks.
Wildfires have broken out in Türkiye’s Antalya province, forcing hundreds of people to evacuate as strong winds fuelled the flames.
Overnight Iranian strikes on an air base in Jordan damaged multiple U.S. aircraft and left one without a wing, American media reported. Meanwhile, explosions were heard across parts of southern Iran according to local media reports.
A TV channel was struck during a live broadcast on Tuesday, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said, as Russian strikes on Kyiv killed at least three people, the city's Mayor Vitali Klitschko said. Meanwhile, drones hit civilian infrastructure in Russia's southwestern Saratov region.
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) said its forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil carriers after the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) allegedly launched two ballistic missile attacks against a U.S. Navy warship over the past two days.
Ukrainian forces struck a Russian oil refinery in Siberia and a seaport in Dagestan in the past 24 hours, President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said. He will meet Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Thursday to discuss air defences for Ukraine over winter.
Eight Muslim-majority countries have launched a joint push for wider international action against trade linked to Israeli settlements, seeking to build momentum from new measures announced by the UK and other Western governments.
Saudi Arabia is facing a problem that goes beyond the latest Houthi attacks on its southern oil facilities. The kingdom is now dealing with pressure on energy exports at the Strait of Hormuz to the east and the Red Sea route to the west.
Two Azerbaijani sailors were killed on Wednesday when a foreign cargo ship they were travelling on was attacked by drones in the Black Sea, Baku's Foreign Ministry has said.
Iceland’s government plans to introduce legislation in February to permanently ban commercial whaling, potentially leaving Norway and Japan as the world’s only countries still allowing the practice.
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