Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 5th of January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Trump claims U.S. control over Venezuela after Maduro detention
U.S. President Donald Trump has asserted that Washington now effectively controls Venezuela following the detention of President Nicolás Maduro, warning of further military action if stability is not restored.
Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said remaining Venezuelan officials must cooperate or face severe consequences. He also outlined plans for U.S. oil companies to invest in rebuilding the nation’s infrastructure, invoking what he described as a reinterpretation of the Monroe Doctrine to justify American dominance in the Western Hemisphere.
Tokayev plays down political significance of Putin–Nazarbayev talks
Kazakhstan’s President Kassym-Jomart Tokayev has publicly dismissed the significance of recent private meetings between Russian President Vladimir Putin and former leader Nursultan Nazarbayev, describing them as personal rather than political.
By portraying the talks as informal exchanges between old acquaintances, Tokayev appeared to underline that authority in Astana now rests firmly with the current administration, amid continued political restructuring following the unrest of 2022.
Azerbaijan and Türkiye agree 33 bcm gas supply deal
Azerbaijan and Türkiye have secured a significant energy agreement for the supply of 33 billion cubic metres of natural gas, set to be delivered over a 15-year period starting in 2029.
Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar said the deal would include annual volumes from the Absheron gas field in the Caspian Sea and use the existing Baku–Tbilisi–Erzurum pipeline, strengthening energy cooperation between the two countries into the 2040s.
Denmark rejects Trump’s renewed push to acquire Greenland
Denmark’s Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen has rejected U.S. President Donald Trump’s renewed suggestions that the United States should acquire Greenland, calling the remarks unfounded and urging Washington to stop issuing threats towards a close ally.
The comments followed Trump’s assertion that the Arctic territory is vital to U.S. defence. Copenhagen reiterated that the self-governing island is not for sale, amid growing unease over Washington’s recent rhetoric.
Deadly unrest erupts in Iran amid economic pressure
At least 16 people have been killed and hundreds arrested in Iran as protests over inflation and economic hardship escalated into clashes with security forces.
The protests, described as the most serious in three years, has heightened regional tensions. Donald Trump has suggested possible U.S. intervention if violence continues, while Tehran has warned of retaliation as it seeks to contain unrest amid a collapsing currency and ongoing sanctions.
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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