Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 4th of December, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Macron and Xi seek to balance trade tensions in Beijing
French President Emmanuel Macron has met with President Xi Jinping in Beijing in an effort to strengthen commercial ties as the European Union prepares to tighten trade regulations. Macron is being accorded lavish treatment, including a rare accompaniment by Xi to the province of Sichuan, though a major Airbus order remains unsigned.
Beijing is keen to ease trade frictions with Brussels, particularly concerning its heavily subsidised electric vehicle sector. Macron, accompanied by a delegation of top French executives, is attempting to present a robust European front while protecting French export interests in the Chinese market.
Israel receives hostage remains as violence persists in Gaza
Israel has recovered the body of a hostage from the Gaza Strip, though the remains of Israeli police officer Ran Gvili have yet to be returned. The handover is a crucial step towards opening the Rafah crossing to Egypt under European Union supervision, a key condition of U.S. President Donald Trump's peace initiative.
Despite the diplomatic progress, violence on the ground continues. Medics in Khan Younis reported that five Palestinians were killed in an Israeli missile attack on Wednesday evening. The Israeli military stated the strike targeted a Hamas operative and was a response to an earlier attack in Rafah that wounded five soldiers.
Zelenskyy prepares for talks with Trump’s team
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has announced that his administration is preparing for imminent meetings with representatives of U.S. President Donald Trump. Ukrainian officials are set to engage in discussions both in person and via telephone to secure a "dignified peace" that respects Ukraine’s interests.
Zelenskyy emphasised that ending the war relies on a combination of constructive diplomacy and sustained pressure on Russia. He confirmed that he remains in constant contact with international partners to ensure Ukraine’s security requirements are met during this transitional period.
Baku hosts meeting of Turkic States’ mapping institutions
The second meeting of the Heads of Mapping Institutions of the Organization of Turkic States (OTS) concluded in Baku this week. Delegates from member states, along with observers from Hungary and Northern Cyprus, discussed cooperation in geodesy and cartography, with a special focus on restoration projects in Azerbaijan's liberated Karabakh and East Zangezur regions.
Participants were also briefed on preparations for the World Urban Forum (WUF13), scheduled to take place in Baku in 2026. The meeting concluded with the adoption of a joint declaration and an agreement to hold the next gathering in Kazakhstan.
Pakistan and Armenia move to establish diplomatic missions
In a significant diplomatic shift, Pakistan and Armenia are making plans to open a Pakistani embassy in Armenia. The Armenian Foreign Ministry confirmed that the two nations have signed a joint communiqué to formalise relations and exchange diplomatic representatives, in accordance with the Vienna Convention.
This development marks a major milestone after years of informal relations. While an exact timeline has not been set, the agreement signals a commitment to mutual recognition and enhanced political and economic cooperation between the two countries.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says the status of Greenland did not arise in his talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, as Trump stepped back from...
Venezuelan oil exports under a flagship $2 billion supply deal with the U.S. reached about 7.8 million barrels on Wednesday, vessel-tracking data and ...
Azerbaijan’s State Oil Fund, State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ), has signed a long-term strategic cooperation agreement worth up to $1.4 billion w...
The United States is placing renewed emphasis on regional partnerships that offer predictability, security cooperation and economic continuity as inst...
Armenia and Azerbaijan will interconnect their energy systems, enabling mutual electricity imports and exports as part of a wider regional transit ini...
Venezuelan oil exports under a flagship $2 billion supply deal with the U.S. reached about 7.8 million barrels on Wednesday, vessel-tracking data and documents from state-run PDVSA showed.
Azerbaijan’s State Oil Fund, State Oil Fund of Azerbaijan (SOFAZ), has signed a long-term strategic cooperation agreement worth up to $1.4 billion with Brookfield Asset Management on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in Davos, officials said.
The United States is placing renewed emphasis on regional partnerships that offer predictability, security cooperation and economic continuity as instability deepens across the Middle East and parts of Eurasia
Armenia and Azerbaijan will interconnect their energy systems, enabling mutual electricity imports and exports as part of a wider regional transit initiative, Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan said.
Several locally-developed instant messaging applications were reportedly restored in Iran on Tuesday (20 January), partially easing communications restrictions imposed after recent unrest.
There was a common theme in speeches at the World Economic Forum on Tuesday (20 January). China’s Vice-Premier, He Lifeng, warned that "tariffs and trade wars have no winners," while France's Emmanuel Macron, labelled "endless accumulation of new tariffs" from the U.S. "fundamentally unacceptable."
Dozens of beaches along Australia's east coast, including in Sydney, closed on Tuesday (20 January) after four shark attacks in two days, as heavy rains left waters murky and more likely to attract the animals.
U.S. President Donald Trump said Washington would “work something out” with NATO allies on Tuesday, defending his approach to the alliance while renewing his push for U.S. control of Greenland amid rising tensions with Europe.
At the World Economic Forum’s “Defining Eurasia’s Economic Identity” panel on 20 January 2026, leaders from Azerbaijan, Armenia and Serbia discussed how the South Caucasus and wider Eurasian region can strengthen economic ties, peace and geopolitical stability amid shifting global influence.
NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte says the status of Greenland did not arise in his talks with U.S. President Donald Trump, as Trump stepped back from tariff threats and ruled out using force to take control of the territory.
Venezuelan oil exports under a flagship $2 billion supply deal with the U.S. reached about 7.8 million barrels on Wednesday, vessel-tracking data and documents from state-run PDVSA showed.
A fire alarm prompted the partial evacuation of the Davos Congress Centre on Wednesday evening while Donald Trump was inside the building attending the World Economic Forum, Swiss authorities said.
Kazakhstan has yet to receive results from two foreign laboratories examining evidence linked to the crash of an Azerbaijan Airlines aircraft near Aktau, delaying the publication of the final investigation report, officials said.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Moscow could pay $1 billion from Russian assets frozen abroad to secure permanent membership in President Donald Trump’s proposed ‘Board of Peace’.
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