UAE marks Israel's annexation plans as a decisive boundary

In a series of significant developments around the world, here's a rundown of the latest news:

Politics and Diplomacy

Israel's Finance Minister announced plans to start work on a long-delayed settlement that would divide the West Bank and cut it off from East Jerusalem in August. The Palestinian government, its allies, and human rights activists have condemned the proposal, calling it illegal. (The Times of Israel)
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) has expressed strong opposition to Israel's plans to annex parts of the West Bank, according to a top Emirati official. Lana Nusseibeh, Assistant Minister for Political Affairs and Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the UAE, told The Times of Israel that annexation would be a red line for her government, and that it would foreclose the idea of regional integration and be the death knell of the two-state solution. (The Times of Israel)
The displays of warmth and laughter between the leaders of India, China, and Russia in Tianjin underscored how much US President Donald Trump has shaken up global diplomacy. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held hands with Russia's Vladimir Putin and shared a car ride with him, and also met with China's Xi Jinping at the summit, signaling to Trump that India will align with other powerful nations if Washington pressures it to stop buying Russian oil. (CNN)

Economy and Business

Bahrain's Mumtalakat and Abu Dhabi's CYVN Holdings are taking the wheel at McLaren, and are set to buy out the remaining 30% stake, giving them full ownership in a deal valuing the Formula 1 team at more than £3 billion ($3.5 billion). (BBC Sport)
Qatar Investment Authority (QIA) joined with more than a dozen other firms in Anthropic's latest funding round, which raised $13 billion. Anthropic, the maker of the Claude AI model, was valued at $183 billion in this funding round. (TechCrunch)
The Future Investment and Trade Partnership (FIT-P) is expected to initially include about ten member countries, notably including Singapore, the United Arab Emirates, New Zealand, Morocco, Malaysia, Norway, and Panama, with the final list of participants still partly open. The initiative aims to give smaller and medium-sized nations greater influence on global trade rules. (CNBC)
The UAE's household spending growth is set to be nearly double that of the US over the next five years, creating a huge opportunity for consumer firms, according to a study by Oxford Economics. Gulf shoppers are more resilient today than in previous cycles, according to the same study. (Oxford Economics)

Conflicts and Disasters

More than 800 people have been killed after an earthquake struck near the Afghanistan-Pakistan border. The Taliban's control over the region has made it extremely difficult to mobilize resources, and the region's homes made from mud and stone have contributed to a "perfect storm" of devastation. (Al Jazeera)
Finland and Poland are considering restoring peat wetlands along their Russian borders as a defense against possible invasion, and a carbon sink. Eastern European states have bolstered security since Moscow's full-scale invasion of Ukraine, with some considering reviving drained peat bogs as a defense measure. (The Guardian)

Health and Science

Two major studies disagreed over the impacts of beta blockers for heart attack patients. One found a notable 15% reduction in deaths and major cardiovascular events among people whose heart function was back to normal, while another found no impact. Both studies found benefit for patients with impaired heart function. (The New York Times)
An airplane carrying the European Commission president was the target of a suspected Russian interference operation, with the disruption believed to be the result of "blatant interference by Russia." (The Washington Post)

Legal and Immigration

The Trump administration's efforts to deport undocumented migrants to the US faced further legal setbacks, with a federal judge blocking White House plans to return Guatemalan children to their home country. (NPR)
Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet with his cabinet ministers this week to discuss advancing the plans for a settlement in the West Bank. (Haaretz)
The displays of warmth and laughter between the leaders of India, China, and Russia in Tianjin underscored how much US President Donald Trump has shaken up global diplomacy. Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi held hands with Russia's Vladimir Putin and shared a car ride with him, and also met with China's Xi Jinping at the summit, signaling to Trump that India will align with other powerful nations if Washington pressures it to stop buying Russian oil. (CNN)