Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 19th of December, covering the latest developments you need to know.
EU leaders agree €90bn loan for Ukraine, shelving Russian asset plan
European Union leaders have agreed to a joint borrowing scheme to raise €90 billion (£75bn) for Ukraine’s defence over the next two years, sidelining a controversial plan to utilise frozen Russian assets directly. The funding, intended for 2026 and 2027, aims to provide urgent financial stability for Kyiv amidst the ongoing conflict. While Belgium raised concerns over the legal risks of touching frozen funds, Hungary, Slovakia, and the Czech Republic agreed not to obstruct the alternative borrowing plan, ensuring the aid package proceeds as a matter of urgency.
Suspect in Brown University shooting found dead in New Hampshire
The suspect linked to the fatal shooting at Brown University has been found dead in a storage unit in New Hampshire, with authorities indicating the individual likely committed suicide. Federal officials are now investigating a potential connection between this attack and the subsequent murder of an MIT professor in Massachusetts just days later. As the investigation continues, law enforcement agencies remain focused on establishing a full timeline of events following the violence that shook the Ivy League campus and prompted a multi-state manhunt.
Australia announces gun buyback following Bondi Beach massacre
In the wake of the Bondi Beach massacre that claimed 15 lives during Hanukkah celebrations, Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has announced a nationwide gun buyback scheme to remove surplus and prohibited firearms from circulation. Echoing the strict reforms introduced after the 1996 Port Arthur tragedy, the government aims to tighten public safety while simultaneously strengthening hate speech laws to combat rising antisemitism. Police have also stepped up security, detaining seven individuals in Sydney amid fears of further extremist violence inspired by the attack.
EU-Mercosur trade deal delayed until January amid farmer protests
The long-awaited free trade agreement between the EU and the Mercosur bloc has been postponed until January after European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen failed to secure the necessary backing from member states. Opposition from France and Italy, coupled with violent farmer protests in Brussels over agricultural safeguards, forced the delay just ahead of a planned summit in Brazil. While leaders like Italy’s Giorgia Meloni have requested more time to garner domestic support, proponents argue the deal is vital for reducing Europe’s economic reliance on China.
Azerbaijan and Armenia take historic step towards economic cooperation
Marking a significant shift in relations, Azerbaijan and Armenia have agreed on a trade deal involving the shipment of Azerbaijani petroleum products, signalling a new era of economic cooperation despite the absence of a final peace treaty. MP Qaya Mammadov described the move as a pragmatic step to rebuild trust and revive direct commercial ties that had been dormant for decades. Observers view this development as a vital milestone for stability in the South Caucasus, demonstrating that practical engagement can proceed alongside ongoing diplomatic negotiations.
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...
A fire alarm prompted the partial evacuation of the Davos Congress Centre on Wednesday evening while Donald Trump was inside the building attending th...
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.
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.
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
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 Donald Trump’s proposed ‘Board of Peace’.
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