Ilham Aliyev: Zangezur Corridor issue resolved
President Ilham Aliyev has said the opening of the Zangezur corridor is no longer in question, describing it as a strategic transport link that will c...
The Trump administration has completed a controversial prisoner swap with Venezuela, returning around 250 deported Venezuelans in exchange for 10 American detainees.
The Trump administration has carried out a large-scale prisoner swap with Venezuela, according to CNN.
Around 250 Venezuelans who had been deported from the United States and were being held in a maximum-security prison in El Salvador were returned to their home country. In exchange, Venezuela released the remaining American hostages in its custody.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said in a post on social media that 10 Americans were now "on their way to freedom" as a result of the exchange.
In March, the administration invoked emergency authority to rapidly deport over 200 Venezuelans to El Salvador. They were later detained at the Terrorism Confinement Center, known as CECOT. The move drew backlash from immigration attorneys and families, many of whom said the individuals had no criminal record despite being labeled as gang members in court.
It is not yet clear whether the Venezuelans will remain in custody after returning to their country.
On Friday afternoon, Venezuelan officials confirmed the arrival of a flight from Texas. Interior Minister Diosdado Cabello said it carried an unspecified number of Venezuelans, including children. He added that more arrivals were expected later in the day.
The U.S. State Department has not issued an official comment.
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) sources reported a significant movement of U.S. military aircraft towards the Middle East in recent hours. Dozens of U.S. Air Force aerial refuelling tankers and heavy transport aircraft were observed heading eastwards, presumably to staging points in the region.
Snow and ice stalled travellers in northwest Europe on Wednesday, forcing around a thousand to spend the night in Amsterdam's Schiphol airport but delighting others who set out to explore a snow-blanketed Paris on sledges and skis.
Diplomatic tensions between Tokyo and Beijing escalated as Japan slams China's export ban on dual-use goods. Markets have wobbled as fears grow over a potential rare earth embargo affecting global supply chains.
Two people have been killed after a private helicopter crashed at a recreation centre in Russia’s Perm region, Russian authorities and local media have said.
Iran’s chief justice has warned protesters there will be “no leniency for those who help the enemy against the Islamic Republic”, as rights groups reported a rising death toll during what observers describe as the country’s biggest wave of unrest in three years.
Iran’s Commander-in-Chief of Army, Major General Amir Hatami has warned against hostile rhetoric from U.S. and Israeli officials. “Iran considers the intensification of the enemies' rhetoric against the Iranian nation as a threat and will not leave its continuation unanswered,” Hatami said.
Türkiye says it's prepared a self-sustaining international stabilisation force for Gaza and has already begun training, Defence Minister Yaşar Güler said, reiterating Ankara’s readiness to deploy troops to support humanitarian efforts and help end the fighting.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has dismissed reports that Nicolas Maduro, Venezuela’s toppled leader, was previously offered asylum in Türkiye.
Former NATO Deputy Secretary-General Rose Gottemoeller has warned that Europe could face a future without U.S. nuclear deterrence.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 8th of January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
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