CHINA - China is solely responsible for 1/3 of global emissions and hit a 10-year high of new coal plant construction in 2024. Germany blew up their own nuclear plants. Europe and China are, in some ways, natural allies in an era when the United States has opted for nationalist brio. Both remain officially committed to the concept of rules- based international trade, even if China is frequently accused of breaching the details. Both affirm the scientific reality of climate change, while mobilizing investment and know-how to combat it.

USA - After continued rumours that US special forces used advanced black budget weaponry in the raid to capture Venezuelan dictator Nicolas Maduro, the Department of War has now openly admitted to possessing directed energy weapons and said it is ramping up their production. Directed energy weapons, including lasers and microwaves, enable precise targeting with reduced collateral damage compared to traditional munitions. The confirmation came from the Department of War’s Chief Technology Officer via a post on X. At the 2026 World Economic Forum this week, Trump mentioned the use of a weapon that prevented enemies from firing shots during the Venezuela raid.

USA - The US has officially withdrawn from the World Health Organization (WHO), leaving the UN agency without one of its biggest donors. US President Donald Trump signed an executive order signalling the withdrawal a year ago, having criticised the organisation for being too "China-centric" during the Covid pandemic. The US Department of Health and Human Services said it took the decision due to the WHO's alleged "mishandling" of the pandemic, an inability to reform and political influence from member states. The WHO has rejected these claims and its director general Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said the withdrawal was a loss for the US and the world.

USA - Pope Leo is among world leaders ⁠invited to join President Donald Trump's Board of Peace, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican's top diplomatic official, said on Wednesday. Leo, the first US Pope and a critic of some of ‍Trump's policies, is evaluating the invitation, he ‍said. "The Pope has received an invitation and we are considering what to do," Parolin ⁠told journalists. "I believe it will be something that requires a bit of time for consideration before giving ​a response." The board was initially aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza, however Trump has said it will have a ‍much broader remit and resolve conflicts globally. While some countries, such ⁠as Israel and Egypt, have accepted the invitation, a number of others have expressed caution with diplomats warning it could harm the work of the United Nations.

EUROPE - The European project is dead. The final act of the EU Project BT (Before Trump) unfolded on two fronts this week, in Davos and in Strasbourg. In Davos, the atmosphere was gritty but grief-stricken as Emmanuel Macron and Ursula von der Leyen took to the stage. The former proclaimed the end of the rules-based order and the need for Europe to understand the true nature of power; the latter cautioned Europhiles against the seductions of nostalgia.

SWITZERLAND - At the World Economic Forum in Switzerland, the Davos elites have gathered under intense scrutiny from surging populism and a mass rejection of globalism. Instead of the usual smug confidence, top figures openly confessed to collapsing trust and fading relevance, desperately calling for “dialogue,” “cooperation,” and renewed alliances while the ground shifts beneath them. BlackRock CEO and WEF co-chair Larry Fink set the tone of vulnerability early on, stating, “The world now places far less trust in us to help shape what comes next,” adding “If the World Economic Forum is going to be useful going forward, it has to regain that trust.” Fink conceded that the group is “an elite gathering trying to shape a world that belongs to everyone,” adding that, “Many of the people most affected by what we talk about here will never come to this conference. Dialogue is the only way a room like this can earn the legitimacy to shape ideas for people who aren’t in the room,” Fink further declared.

SWITZERLAND - Volodymyr Zelensky said Europe was weak and fragmented in a speech at Davos, attacking its leaders for being too indecisive to stand up to Russia, China or Donald Trump. The Ukrainian president said European powers were too busy arguing among themselves to join together and become a “truly global power”. In a remarkably aggressive address to the World Economic Forum on Thursday, he said the countries funding the Ukrainian war effort “love to discuss the future but avoid taking action today”. He singled out the decision to send “40 soldiers” to Greenland as insufficient to protect the island. The Ukrainian president mocked European nations for sending too few troops to the island for any meaningful defence. “Forty soldiers will not protect anything,” he said. “What message does that send to Putin, to China – and even more importantly, what message does that send to Denmark, your close ally?”

SWITZERLAND - The audience in Davos this week enjoyed the privilege of hearing one of the most statesmanlike speeches delivered in years by a national leader. The world is “in the midst of a rupture, not a transition”, said the speaker. We are witnessing “the end of a pleasant fiction and the beginning of a harsh reality, where geopolitics is submitted to no limits, no restraints… there is a strong tendency for countries to go along, to get along, to accommodate, to avoid trouble, to hope that compliance will bring safety. Well, it won’t.”

USA - Trump: Watching Iran closely, we have a massive armada heading in that direction. Trump added that he threatened Iran with US airstrikes if the Islamic Republic's regime carried out hangings of protesters and political dissidents as planned, and Tehran backed down as a result. "We're watching Iran. We have a lot of ships going that direction just in case... We have a massive fleet heading in that direction, and maybe we won't have to use it. We'll see." He also threatened that the administration would set a 25% tariff on anyone dealing with Iran. This will take effect "very soon," he warned.

SWITZERLAND - US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace is taking shape. It was launched in Davos at the World Economic Forum on Thursday with a signing ceremony for its charter members. This is an important move for the US administration and provides an opportunity to cement the initiatives that Trump has pursued. The Trump doctrine in his second term has focused heavily on ending conflicts around the world. He claims to have helped end eight conflicts. The Israel-Hamas War is one of the most important. While in Switzerland, Trump said, “Once this board is completely formed, we can do pretty much whatever we want to do. And we’ll do it in conjunction with the United Nations.” Much work remains to be done now that the board is being formed. It remains to be seen whether more European countries will join. It is also unclear if other large countries, such as Russia, will join.