Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 21 October, covering the latest developments you need to know.
1. Sanae Takaichi becomes Japan’s first female prime minister
Sanae Takaichi was voted in by parliament as Japan’s first female prime minister after winning the Liberal Democratic Party leadership on Tuesday,.
Takaichi is known for her nationalist positions, including visiting the Yasukuni shrine and favoring constitutional revision, while also planning to increase the number of female cabinet ministers.
A former interior and economic security minister, Takaichi is expected to host U.S. President Donald Trump next week.
2. Colombia recalls ambassador after Trump threatens tariffs and aid cuts
Colombia has recalled its ambassador from Washington on Monday, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s threats to impose new tariffs and halt financial aid.
The tensions escalated after Trump called Colombian President Gustavo Petro an "illegal drug leader," a remark his government called offensive.
Petro criticised U.S. military strikes on Caribbean vessels, which have killed dozens, and vowed to protect Colombia’s sovereignty.
3. Trump and Albanese sign $8.5 billion critical minerals deal to counter China
U.S. President Donald Trump and Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese signed a critical minerals agreement on Monday aimed at countering China and boosting Indo-Pacific security.
The deal includes a $1 billion investment from each country more than six months in mining and processing projects.
Trump also backed a strategic nuclear-powered submarine deal with Australia during the summit.
The agreement targets deposits of critical minerals valued at $53 billion, according to a White House statement.
4. Azerbaijan and Iran discuss current state of bilateral relations
Azerbaijani President’s Representative on special assignments, met with Iranian officials, including Foreign Minister, Deputy Foreign Minister, and Iranian Presidential Adviser on Political Affairs on 20 October.
The meetings focused on the current state of Azerbaijan-Iran relations and highlighted Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s visits to Azerbaijan.
Officials discussed prospects for further strengthening friendship and good neighborliness, building on recent agreements between the two countries’ leaders.
5. Iran’s Khamenei rejects Trump’s offer for renewed nuclear talks
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Monday rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s offer for renewed nuclear negotiations, dismissing Trump’s claim that the U.S. has destroyed Iran’s nuclear capabilities.
Khamenei called U.S. claims about bombing Iran’s nuclear industry “inappropriate, wrong and coercive.”
Western powers accuse Iran of secretly pursuing nuclear weapons, while Tehran maintains its program is for civilian energy purposes only.
China’s growing use of electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles took centre stage at the Beijing Auto Show 2026, which opened on 2...
More than 1,000 firefighters are battling to contain two major wildfires in northern Japan for a fourth consecu...
Residents in central Gaza are preparing to vote in municipal elections on Saturday (25 April), marking the first ballot in the Strip since 2006. Th...
Militants have staged coordinated attacks in Mali’s capital, Bamako, and several locations across the country, the army said on Saturday (...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Azerbaijan for talks with President Ilham Aliyev, holding meetings in G...
China’s growing use of electric and hydrogen-powered vehicles took centre stage at the Beijing Auto Show 2026, which opened on 24 April, highlighting the country’s expanding clean transport ambitions.
More than 1,000 firefighters are battling to contain two major wildfires in northern Japan for a fourth consecutive day, as flames advance towards residential areas and force thousands to flee.
Residents in central Gaza are preparing to vote in municipal elections on Saturday (25 April), marking the first ballot in the Strip since 2006. The vote in Deir al-Balah is being watched closely as a rare indication of public sentiment, including towards Hamas.
Militants have staged coordinated attacks in Mali’s capital, Bamako, and several locations across the country, the army said on Saturday (25 April), in an assault apparently involving jihadist and Tuareg-led groups.
Argentina has reiterated its interest in resuming talks with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, a disputed archipelago in the South Atlantic, after reports that an internal Pentagon email suggested reviewing Washington’s support for the UK’s claim amid tensions over the Iran war.
Russian emergency services have contained a major fire at the Tuapse oil refinery on the Black Sea coast, local officials said on Thursday, ending a four-day effort after a Ukrainian drone strike.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy is in Azerbaijan for talks with President Ilham Aliyev, holding meetings in Gabala on Saturday (25 April) during a working visit to the country.
Slovenia’s national broadcaster RTV Slovenia has confirmed it will not air the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, joining a widening boycott over Israel’s participation.
Diplomatic efforts to end the Iran war suffered a setback on Saturday as U.S. President Donald Trump cancelled a planned envoy visit to Pakistan for talks, even as parallel regional diplomacy continued and military tensions escalated in Lebanon.
More than 1,000 firefighters are battling to contain two major wildfires in northern Japan for a fourth consecutive day, as flames advance towards residential areas and force thousands to flee.
Militants have staged coordinated attacks in Mali’s capital, Bamako, and several locations across the country, the army said on Saturday (25 April), in an assault apparently involving jihadist and Tuareg-led groups.
Two men were killed after the United States carried out a missile strike on a suspected drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific Ocean on Friday (24 April), the military said.
Argentina has reiterated its interest in resuming talks with the United Kingdom over the Falkland Islands, a disputed archipelago in the South Atlantic, after reports that an internal Pentagon email suggested reviewing Washington’s support for the UK’s claim amid tensions over the Iran war.
China has urged the European Union to take its concerns seriously over new cybersecurity and digital regulations, warning they could create difficulties for Chinese companies operating in Europe.
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