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.
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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