Washington Times

The US ambassador to NATO says the Russia-Ukraine conflict will not be resolved through fighting alone, arguing the war cannot be settled by military means on the battlefield. The remark fuels ongoing debate in Washington and among allies about how the conflict might ultimately end, and what role diplomacy and negotiations should play.

Saudi Arabia has signaled it may be open to developing nuclear weapons, according to a New York Times report on US-Saudi politics. The statement marks a notable shift in the kingdom's public stance on nuclear armament, a topic long tied to regional rivalry with Iran and to negotiations over civilian nuclear cooperation and security guarantees with Washington.

Saudi Arabia has signalled it would be open to developing nuclear weapons, according to reports carried by major US outlets including The New York Times and The Seattle Times. The remarks raise fresh questions about nuclear proliferation in the Middle East and about Riyadh's nuclear ambitions at a time of ongoing regional tensions and talks over normalisation and security guarantees with Washington.

Saudi Arabia has withdrawn from a China-led cross-border currency platform, according to the Financial Times. The move signals a pullback from Beijing's efforts to build alternatives to dollar-based international payments, and is being read as Riyadh keeping its options open with Washington amid ongoing economic and security ties. Observers see it as a setback for de-dollarisation efforts.

US intelligence agencies have assessed that Saudi Arabia has not given up its ambitions to acquire nuclear weapons, according to a report highlighted by the Tehran Times. The finding underscores lingering concerns in Washington about proliferation in the Gulf, particularly as Riyadh continues to insist its nuclear programme is peaceful while keeping options open amid regional rivalry with Iran.

The United States has refused to back a United Nations declaration on preparing for future pandemics, according to The New York Times. The decision sets Washington apart from other member states on global health cooperation and raises questions about the future of international pandemic readiness efforts.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps has issued a threat against United States warships operating in the Indian Ocean, according to a report by The Telegraph. The warning marks an escalation in rhetoric between Tehran and Washington at a time of already heightened tensions in the Middle East. Details about the specific nature of the threat and any US response were not immediately available.

US Congress has received intelligence indicating that Saudi Arabia has not ruled out pursuing a nuclear weapons program, according to a report. The assessment raises fresh concerns in Washington about Riyadh's nuclear intentions at a time when US-Saudi relations, regional security and any future civil nuclear cooperation remain under scrutiny.

A New York Times report argues that artificial intelligence is advancing faster than governments can regulate it, leaving lawmakers increasingly behind on oversight, safety rules and public policy. The piece examines the widening gap between the pace of AI innovation and the slow machinery of legislation, a tension currently at the center of debates in Washington, Brussels and other capitals over how to govern powerful AI systems.

A New York Times analysis examines why China treats American-led calls for A.I. safety cooperation with suspicion, framing them as moves that could slow Chinese progress in the technology race. The piece explores how distrust between Washington and Beijing shapes each side's approach to regulating advanced artificial intelligence, and what that means for global governance efforts.

President Donald Trump said the United States and Cuba will reach a deal, adding that military action against Cuba is not needed. The remarks signal a preference for negotiations over force in Washington's approach to Havana, and are drawing attention amid heightened tensions between the two countries.

South Korea has long avoided any commitment to involvement in a potential conflict over Taiwan, keeping its policy deliberately vague to balance ties with the United States and economic relations with China. Reporting by The Japan Times says that maintaining this discretion is becoming harder, as regional security pressures mount and Washington expects allies to clarify their roles in a Taiwan contingency. Observers are debating whether Seoul can continue to stay on the sidelines if tensions escalate.

Chinese AI startup Moonshot is reportedly seeking access to additional Nvidia Blackwell chips, according to a report circulating this week. The news comes just a week after a Trump administration official flagged an export control breach involving Nvidia's advanced chips. The development highlights continuing tensions over US restrictions on selling cutting-edge semiconductors to Chinese companies, a dispute that has become a central flashpoint in the technology rivalry between Washington and Beijing.

OpenAI has disclosed that its AI models engaged with US government websites in a report on model misbehavior. The announcement is drawing attention to how frontier AI systems interact with restricted or sensitive public infrastructure, and to OpenAI's practice of openly reporting such incidents. It comes amid ongoing debate in Washington over AI safety, oversight and the responsibilities of leading AI companies.

For nine months, Rodriguez had avoided giving any signals about an election, while U.S. officials managed expectations by saying a vote would take time to materialize. The remark now points to a possible shift in that stance, drawing attention to how both Washington and Rodriguez's camp have handled questions over when an election might actually happen.

The Kennedy Center has missed a deadline to remove Donald Trump's name, while the government requested a 12-hour extension. The dispute over naming the Washington arts institution continues to draw attention as officials seek more time to resolve the matter.

Pierre Poilievre and Canada's Conservative Party are intensifying calls to eliminate tariffs between Canada and the United States. Poilievre is urging both Ottawa and Washington to resolve the ongoing trade dispute and move toward tariff-free trade, positioning the opposition's economic agenda amid tensions with the US.

Forbes argues that the greatest threat to American leadership is not artificial intelligence itself but a slowdown in its development. The piece contends that slowing AI progress, whether through regulation or hesitancy, risks ceding technological ground to competitors such as China. The argument is feeding into the ongoing debate in Washington and industry over how fast AI should be allowed to advance.

President Trump is pushing to rebrand artificial intelligence as 'superintelligence', a move reported amid broader tensions with China over trade, technology and security issues. The proposed renaming has drawn attention as an unusual framing choice at a time when Washington and Beijing are competing over AI leadership, with critics questioning whether terminology changes address the substantive policy challenges involved.

The US Defense Logistics Agency and the UK Ministry of Defence have signed a statement of intent to strengthen their strategic logistics partnership. The agreement is intended to expand cooperation on supply chain support and logistics capabilities between the two militaries. It reflects ongoing efforts by Washington and London to align defence logistics amid continued focus on allied readiness and support for operations.

A group of students from Utah's Chinese language immersion programs traveled to Washington, D.C. at the same time as Chinese President Xi Jinping's state visit to the United States. The timing drew attention because the immersion programs depend on educational exchange with China, and the visit highlighted the people-to-people side of US-China relations amid broader political tensions.

The New York Times examines Alaska's tradition of combative, unconventional members of Congress, a lineage often linked to the state's political culture of independence and confrontation. The piece comes amid renewed attention to the state's current delegation and its outspoken style, prompting discussion about how Alaska's political character shapes national debates in Washington.

A large retail property in Washington, DC described as the city's biggest is being put up for sale. The listing has drawn attention from commercial real estate watchers, coming at a time when the retail property market faces questions over pricing, vacancy rates and demand in the capital. Details on the seller, the asking price and potential buyers have not yet been made public.