Davos 2025: ‘Make in US,’ Middle East, and Russia-Ukraine war take center stage in Trump’s WEF speech

-Before even taking office, my team negotiated a ceasefire agreement in the Middle East, which wouldn't have happened without us, as I think most people in the room know. Earlier this week, the hostages began returning to their families. They are returning, and it's a beautiful sight, and more will continue to come back. They started coming back on Sunday.

-Our efforts to secure a peace settlement between Russia and Ukraine are now hopefully underway. It's so important to get that done. That is an absolute killing field. Millions of soldiers are being killed. Nobody has seen anything like it since World War II. They're lying dead all over the flat fields. It's flat farmland, and there are millions of Russians and millions of Ukrainians. Nobody has seen anything like it since World War II.

What Donald Trump said on the recent investments by businesses in the US:

-Under the Trump administration, there will be no better place on Earth to create jobs, build factories or grow a company than right here.

-Economic confidence among Americans is soaring like we haven’t seen in many decades.

-SoftBank has announced between $100-$200 billion investment in the US economy because of the election result. Just two days ago, Oracle, Softbank and OpenAI announced a $500 billion investment in AI infrastructure. Other companies have also announced investments in US.

-It's reported today in the papers that Saudi Arabia will be investing at least $600 billion in America. But I'll be asking the crown prince, who's a fantastic guy, to round it out to around $1 trillion. I think they'll do that because we've been very good to them.

-After four long years, the United States is strong, sovereign, and a beautiful nation once again. It's a strong, sovereign nation. In addition, I'm pleased to report that America is also a free nation once again.

Here's what Donald Trump said at the World Economic Forum:

-My administration is acting with unprecedented speed to fix the disasters we have inherited from a totally inept group of people and to solve every single crisis facing our country. This begins with confronting with the economic chaos caused by the failed policies of the last administration.

-Over the past four years, our government racked up 8 trillion dollars and wasteful deficit spending and inflicted nation-wrecking energy restrictions, crippling regulations and hidden taxes like never before. The result is the worst inflation crisis in modern history and sky-high interest rates for our citizens and even throughout the world.

-President Biden completely lost control of what was going on in our country. Because of Biden’s ruinous policies cost of servicing debt is more than 230% higher than projected in 2020.

Trump on Thursday linked international oil prices to Russia's invasion of Ukraine, highlighting their direct connection.

He said he's going to ask “Saudi Arabia and OPEC to bring down the cost of oil, which, frankly, I’m surprised they didn’t do before the election”.

"If the price came down, the Russia-Ukraine war would end immediately," Trump said,

What the world has witnessed in the past 72 hours is nothing less than a revolution of common sense, said Trump. “Our country will soon be stronger, wealthier and more united than ever before and the entire planet will be more peaceful and prosperous as a result of this incredible momentum,” he said at Davos.

“My message to every business in the world is very simple, come make your product in America, and we will give you among the lowest taxes of any nation on Earth. But if you don’t make your product in America, which is your prerogative, then very simply, you will have to pay a tariff,” said Trump at WEF.

Under the Trump administration, there will be no better place to grow a company than here, the US President added further.

“Three days ago, I took the oath of office and we started the ‘Golden Age of America’. Our country will soon be stronger and united than ever before,” said US President Donald Trump at World Economic Forum.

US President Donald Trump is all set to speak remotely at the World Economic Forum (WEF) on Thursday in Davos, Switzerland. This would mark Trump's first major speech to global business and political leaders post his inauguration on January 20.

Former Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) convenor Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday alleged that the police allowed the opposition candidate's men to attack his car on the orders of Union Home Minister Amit Shah.

"Today in Hari Nagar, the police allowed the opposition candidate's men to enter my public meeting and then attacked my car. All this is happening on the orders of Amit Shah. Amit Shah has made the Delhi Police the personal army of the BJP," he wrote on X.

He further said, "Big questions are being raised on the Election Commission that the national president of a national party and its leaders are being constantly attacked and the Election Commission is unable to take any effective action."

Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, addressing a public meeting in Janakpuri on Thursday, said he was shocked to see the condition of Delhi. "It pains me to say that Delhi, the capital of our country, has been turned into a hell in just 10 years under Kejriwal's AAP government. I was shocked to see the condition of the city," he said.

"When I entered Delhi by road from Ghaziabad, the moment I moved from the highway to the side roads, I encountered potholes, drainage on the roads, and piles of garbage everywhere," he stated further.

On Thursday, Congress leader Pawan Khera alleged that Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) has "destroyed" the world class infrastructure of Delhi and turned it into "garbage".

Taking a dig at the Arvind Kejriwal-led party, he termed it as “Alcohol Affected Party”.

"We all know that alcohol is harmful for health and its addiction destroys the entire family. We all have seen that how the addiction to earn money from alcohol destroyed an entire state. They have destroyed the world class infrastructure of Delhi (and turned it) into a pile of garbage," Khera alleged.

Flight operations at Lokpriya Gopinath Bordoloi International Airport (LGBIA) were affected on Thursday due to heavy fog and the movement of 18 flights was disrupted.

A spokesperson of the Adani Group-controlled facility said in a statement that the LGBIA in Guwahati witnessed inclement weather conditions due to dense fog since Thursday morning.

"Due to this, 18 have been delayed till now," she said without sharing the details of the delayed arrivals and departures.

Farmers in Maharashtra's Latur will organise a protest on Friday against the proposed Nagpur-Goa Shaktipeeth Expressway.

The 802-kilometre highway is being built for the benefit of contractors and will greatly distress farmers whose lands will be acquired, said Swabhimani Shetkari Sanghatana leader Anil Byale on Thursday.

The government plans to go ahead with the project despite opposition from all quarters, he added.

Filmmaker Ram Gopal Varma has been sentenced to three months in jail by a Mumbai court for cheque bounce. The court also issued a non-bailable arrest warrant against him and ordered him to pay Rs 3,72,219 to the complainant as compensation.

The complaint of cheque bounce was registered against Varma's firm in 2018 by a company. The court had granted bail to Varma in April 2022 on a cash security of Rs 5,000.

Foreign Secretary Shri Vikram Misri will be visiting Beijing on 26-27 January 2025 for a meeting of the Foreign Secretary-Vice Minister mechanism between India and China, the Ministry of External Affairs said.

-At the banks of River Ganga, the largest Mahakumbh is being held, in line with Prime Minister Modi’s vision of keeping the river's flow uninterrupted and pure. Devotees from across the country and the world are bathing in the sacred Triveni Sangam...

-As a Chief Minister, I want to ask Delhi CM Arvind Kejriwal: Would he and his ministers have the moral courage to bathe in the Yamuna river in Delhi?

-AAP has turned Delhi into garbage dump, settled illegal Bangladeshis, Rohingyas in Okhla as part of conspiracy

Ahead of the Assembly polls in the national capital, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath addressed his first public meeting in Kirari Assembly constituency.

"I am grateful for the opportunity to be here with all of you in Kirari Assembly. Since I have come here for the Delhi Assembly elections, I also got a chance to observe the roads and infrastructure closely in Delhi. Just last night, I traveled from Prayagraj to Lucknow. In Uttar Pradesh, the first Maha Kumbh of this century is being organised with grandeur. Imagine, from January 13 to today, January 23, in just 10 days, 10 crore devotees have taken a holy dip in Sangam," he said.

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday stated that Delhi is now seeking the genuine development model of former chief minister Sheila Dikshit, rather than the "false propaganda and PR model" of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and AAP convenor Arvind Kejriwal.

Gandhi shared on Facebook a video montage highlighting issues such as inflation, unemployment, pollution and corruption.

"Bad construction, dirt, inflation, unemployment, pollution and corruption - the truth of Delhi is in front of the public," the former Congress chief said in his Facebook post in Hindi.

"Delhi now wants the same real development model of Sheila Dikshit ji, not the false propaganda and PR model of Modi and Kejriwal," Gandhi said ahead the Assembly polls.

Former Delhi chief minister and Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) national convenor Arvind Kejriwal emphasised on Thursday that his top priority is to create employment opportunities for the youth, vowing to eradicate unemployment in the national capital.

"In the next 5 years, my priority will be to provide as much employment as possible. Our team is already working on the planning, and I hope that within 5 years, we will eliminate unemployment in Delhi," Kejriwal said.

More than 10 crore pilgrims have taken a dip at the Triveni Sangam—the confluence of the Ganga, Yamuna, and the mythical Saraswati rivers—during the ongoing Maha Kumbh, the Uttar Pradesh government reported on Thursday.

The record was achieved at 12 pm on Thursday, as per the government’s statement. The Maha Kumbh, the largest religious gathering in the world, began on January 13 and will conclude on February 26.

The Shiv Sena (UBT) has demanded the Bharat Ratna for its late founder, Bal Thackeray, on the occasion of his 99th birth anniversary.

Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut alleged that the BJP-led government has, over the past decade, conferred the prestigious award on individuals who were not deserving of the honour.

"But the man who truly sowed the seeds of Hindutva in the country must also be given the Bharat Ratna. Why has he not been given Bharat Ratna? `Hindu-hriday Samrat' Bal Thackeray must be honoured with the award. This is Shiv Sena (UBT)'s demand," he said.

Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Sukhvinder Singh Sukhu laid the foundation stone of an automated milk processing plant in Dhagwar on Thursday.

He said, "Ever since our government has been formed, we have been working on new ideas, new schemes and new technologies to strengthen the rural economy... I had said that the Dhagwar plant has to be made a world-class milk processing plant. We signed an agreement with NDDB... 20% of the work has been completed and next year at this time we will also inaugurate it and milk will be processed under the capacity of 1.5 lakh per day. Mozzarella water will be made, khoya will be made, paneer will be made and the packaging of milk will also be of high standard... Our vision is clear, we want to put money in the hands of farmers. Himachal Pradesh became the first state in India to fix MSP on milk, Rs 45 MSP on cow milk and Rs 55 MSP on buffalo milk..."

"Today, when our country is engaged in achieving the resolution of developed India, we continuously get inspiration from the life of Netaji Subhash. The biggest goal of Netaji's life was 'Azad Hind'. To achieve his resolve, he tested his decision on only one criterion – 'Azad Hind'. Netaji was born in a prosperous family. He passed the Civil Services examination. If he wanted, he could have lived a comfortable life by becoming a senior officer under British rule but for freedom, he chose hardships, chose challenges, and preferred wandering across the country and abroad. Netaji was not bound by the comfort zone. Similarly, today all of us have to come out of our comfort zone to build a developed India. We have to make ourselves the best globally, we have to choose excellence, we have to focus on efficiency," PM Modi said on Thursday.

On Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose Jayanti, PM Modi says, "Netaji formed the Azad Hind Fauj for the independence of the country. It included heroes and heroines from every region and every section of the country. Everyone's languages ​​were different, but the sentiment was one – independence of the country. This unity is a huge lesson for developed India today. Then we had to be united for Swaraj, today we have to remain united for a developed India, today we need to stay together for 'Viksit Bharat'..."

In Gujarat's Ahmedabad, Union Home Minister Amit Shah said, "The Maha Kumbh is underway in Prayagraj after 144 years. The world is surprised at it. Various ambassadors asked me for an invitation. I explained to them that Kumbh is a fair which does not need any invitation. Crores of people come as per the alignment of the stars... They are shocked that 40 crore people come to a place without an invitation and asked me who manages it. I told them that the management done by the government is as insignificant as the squirrel's contribution to making the Ram Setu... It has been going on for thousands of years. It went on at the time of Mughals, British, and even during the Congress rule..."

In a joint search operation at Larmooh, Awantipora, security forces comprising Army’s 42RR, CRPF, and Awantipora Police have recovered a cache of arms and ammunition, including one grenade, one UBGL, one Electric Detonator, ten API 7.62 Rounds, one Pistol Magazine, one Pistol Round, one broken magazine and other paraphernalia: J&K Police

More than 23.22 lakh devotees on Thursday and more than 9.73 crore devotees so far have taken a holy dip at Triveni Sangam in Prayagraj during Maha Kumbh 2025, according to Uttar Pradesh government data, ANI reported.

On Samajwadi Party mocking UP CM Yogi Adityanath's Cabinet's Kumbh visit, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla said," We saw A Cabinet meeting was held at Mahakumbh and many big decisions were taken. But those who organize 'naach-gana' in Saifai ask why a Cabinet meeting was held at Mahakumbh. This is their dual-character."

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath paid floral tributes to Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose on his birth anniversary.  He said, "Netaji is a respectable figure for every Indian when it comes to freedom struggle. In 2021, PM Modi took the decision to celebrate 23 January as 'Parakaram Diwas'. During the freedom struggle, the call of 'Tum mujhe khoon do, mein tumhe azadi dunga' given by Netaji became a mantra for the people of the country especially the youth at the time."

Shiv Sena (UBT) MP Sanjay Raut says, "Balasaheb Thackeray should be conferred with the Bharat Ratna award..."

"If people like Eknath Shinde, Devendra Fadnavis pay tribute to Balasaheb Thackeray on Twitter, then it is the biggest hypocrisy...Shiv Sena is the life of Balasaheb Thackeray and they attacked it," Raut told reporters.

Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma took to X and stated, "It was a privilege to meet Komura Masahiro, Japan’s State Minister of Justice. We had an insightful conversation on the shared values and ethos that tie India and Japan, and particularly how ideals of Buddha form a spiritual bridge between our two societies. I underlined Government of Assam’s intention to establish an industrial park dedicated to Japanese companies. We also spoke at length at how talented youths from Assam can help bridge the demand for skilled workforce in Japan, through ongoing programs between our countries."

Congress candidate from the New Delhi assembly constituency, Sandeep Dikshit said, " This a truth that money is being distributed...when a person can see that he is failing and he has nothing to talk about development...then they start distributing money, blanket...yesterday I was in East Kidwai Nagar and people there gave me this and said that Parvesh Ji is distributing this...complaints were given to Election Commission several times but no action has been taken...I have a question for Sanjay Singh as well, yesterday we were campaigning in the Kali Bari area and some women there said that AAP is distributing Rs 1000 and they were going for that...so both the parties are involved in this"

Voting for Uttarakhand Municipal Corporation elections underway. Candidates from BJP and Congress are in the fray in civic body polls.

On defamation notice, BJP candidate from New Delhi Assembly, Parvesh Verma’s advocate Vivek Garg said, "A legal defamation notice worth Rs 100 crore has been sent to Arvind Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann for distorting Pravesh Verma's statement. We have given them 48 hours to apologize and pay the compensation otherwise strict legal action will be taken against them... Whatever damages are incurred will be spent for the welfare of the people of the New Delhi constituency. Pravesh Verma said that Kejriwal and Bhagwant Mann are misusing the vehicles of the Punjab government and the government machinery there, which is illegal and we have filed complaints to the Election Commission and Delhi police regarding this... Bhagwant Mann and Arvind Kejriwal are flouting the law and are misleading the public... Both Mann and Kejriwal should either apologize and pay the defamation fee or be prepared for legal action..."

Parts of North 24 Parganas in West Bengal witnessed thick layer of fog on Thursday morning.

Death toll in Jalgaon train accident rises to 13, Ayush Prasad, Jalgaon Collector told ANI. Earlier on Wednesday, passengers of the Pushpak Express were hit by Karnataka Express in Pachora of Jalgaon district.

Several flights were delayed at Delhi's Indira Gandhi International Airport due to dense fog on January 23. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) has forecast a slight dip in temperatures over the next two days, predicting a maximum of 22°C and a minimum of 12°C on Thursday.

South Korea's anti-corruption agency that is leading a criminal investigation into impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol's short-lived attempt to declare martial law said on Thursday it will transfer the case to the prosecutors' office for an indictment.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-ranking Officials (CIO), which does not have authority to prosecute the president, would request that prosecutors indict Yoon over allegations he was the ringleader of an insurrection, for abuse of his authority and obstructing others from exercising their rights, it said in a statement.

US President Donald Trump has granted clemency to Washington cop Terrence Sutton for his involvement in the killing of 20-year-old Karon Hylton-Brown, the White House said. Sutton was sentenced to five years and six months in prison for a second-degree murder conviction for his involvement in the deadly chase of the young man and a subsequent cover-up. The case had ignited protests in the nation's capital.

The development comes shortly after the White House announced the pardon for former Washington Metropolitan Police Department Lt Andrew Zabavsky.

India has always been open to legitimate return of undocumented Indians to their country, External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar said, noting that New Delhi is still in the process of verifying those from the US who can be deported to India and the number of such individuals cannot be determined yet.

"As a government, we are obviously very much supportive of legal mobility because we do believe in a global workplace. We want Indian talent and Indian skills to have the maximum opportunity at the global level. At the same time, we are also very firmly opposed to illegal mobility and illegal migration," Jaishankar said Washington.

More than 50,000 people were under evacuation orders or warnings on Wednesday after a huge and fast-moving wildfire swept through rugged mountains north of Los Angeles, as parched Southern California endured another round of dangerous winds and two major previous blazes continued to smolder.

The Hughes Fire broke out in the late morning and within hours charred more than 39 square km of trees and brush, sending up plumes of dark smoke near Lake Castaic, a popular recreation area about 64 km from the devastating Eaton and Palisades fires that are burning for a third week.

Several Sikh migrants from Afghanistan, residing in Delhi's Tilak Nagar locality, have been granted Indian citizenship under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), 2019. While some have received their voter ID cards and are eligible to vote, others are still waiting as their citizenship was finalised only recently.