Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 2nd of January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
At least 47 people were killed and more than 110 injured after a fire tore through a crowded bar in the Swiss ski resort of Crans-Montana during New Year’s Eve celebrations. The blaze broke out just after midnight at Le Constellation, triggering panic among revellers. Swiss authorities have launched a criminal investigation, ruled out terrorism and warned the death toll may rise as victims are identified, with several European countries taking in injured survivors.
Several people have been killed as nationwide protests in Iran over a collapsing currency and soaring prices escalated into violence across multiple provinces. Clashes between demonstrators and security forces were reported in western and central regions, with authorities and rights groups giving conflicting accounts of the deaths. The unrest, fuelled by inflation above 40% and the rial’s sharp fall, poses a growing challenge to Tehran despite government pledges of dialogue.
Zohran Mamdani has officially taken office as New York City’s mayor following a public swearing-in ceremony at City Hall, becoming the city’s first Muslim and South Asian mayor and its first immigrant leader in decades. The 34-year-old democratic socialist pledged to tackle cost-of-living pressures, outlining priorities such as universal childcare, rent stabilisation and expanded public transport, as progressive leaders hailed his election as a historic shift for the city.
Venezuela has released 88 more people detained after protests over last year’s presidential election, marking the second mass release in two weeks as pressure mounts from Washington. The government says at least 187 detainees have now been freed, though rights groups dispute the figures and estimate around 900 political prisoners remain in custody, a claim Caracas denies.
Russia and Ukraine accused each other of targeting civilians during New Year attacks, with Moscow reporting at least 24 deaths from a Ukrainian drone strike in Russian-controlled Kherson, while Kyiv said Russia launched more than 200 drones overnight, hitting energy infrastructure across seven regions. The renewed fighting comes as U.S.-led efforts intensify to push both sides toward ending the nearly four-year war.
Gen Z protests swept 34 German cities on Saturday (31 October) over education, living costs and military service proposals. Violence erupted in Fra...
Iran designated Britain's Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organisations on Sunday, (1 November), and classified the country's f...
Since 2021, only 9 per cent of $8 billion in humanitarian aid for Afghanistan can be traced beyond initial recipients in public re...
The U.S. has approved the sale of 500 Patriot PAC-3 missiles to Ukraine in a deal worth an estimated $2.1 billion, but Kyiv could face years of delays before receiving the weapons it urgently needs to defend against intensifying Russian attacks.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei has ordered Iran's armed forces to respond to any threat immediately and without geographical limits in statements posted to social media platforms on Saturday (31 October).
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London.
A Chinese-made AI chip has matched Nvidia’s H200 in tests conducted by its developer, marking a potential breakthrough in China’s efforts to reduce its dependence on foreign technology.
A hacking group linked to North Korea is widely believed to be behind the theft of $6.3 billion from cryptocurrency giant Binance, a cyberattack that experts describe as the largest cryptocurrency heist on record.
Gen Z protests swept 34 German cities on Saturday (31 October) over education, living costs and military service proposals. Violence erupted in Frankfurt, where shops were looted and police reported Molotov cocktail attacks.
Iran designated Britain's Royal Navy and Royal Air Force as terrorist organisations on Sunday, (1 November), and classified the country's foreign intelligence agency, MI6, as a hostile group, according to a statement from the Iranian Foreign Ministry.
Thousands protested in Albania's capital, Tirana, on Saturday (31 October), demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama's resignation over perceived corruption allegations and dissatisfaction with the government over a lack of jobs and poor education standards.
Russia has agreed to work with Ghana on developing a 2,000-megawatt nuclear power plant following talks at the Russia-Africa Summit in Moscow, Ghanaian Foreign Minister Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa said on Saturday.
Foreign ministers from the U.S., Japan, Australia and India raised concerns over export restrictions and economic coercion at a Quad meeting in Atlanta, U.S., on Saturday, 31 October 2026, according to their joint statement.
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