Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 7th of January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Nationwide protests in Iran have continued with crowds returning to the streets during daylight hours and moving into major economic hubs. Security forces have deployed tear gas and live ammunition to disperse demonstrators, and reports suggest Iranian-backed Iraqi militias are assisting in the crackdown. Human rights organisations have raised alarms over increasing casualties and detentions, while the country continues to downplay the scale of the movement which now includes direct calls for political change and leadership transition.
Leaders from the U.S. and Europe have moved closer to finalising a legally binding security package for Ukraine, which includes a high-tech ceasefire monitoring system and a multinational force led by France and the UK. The guarantees are modelled on NATO’s Article 5 to provide long-term defence assistance and deter future Russian aggression, though the deployment would operate away from the contact line. While President Zelenskyy welcomed the initiative as a major step forward, the agreement still faces significant hurdles regarding ratification by Western parliaments and the U.S. Congress.
The White House has confirmed that President Donald Trump is actively exploring options to acquire Greenland, viewing the resource-rich Arctic island as a vital national security priority to deter adversaries such as Russia and China. Despite adamant rejections of the idea from NATO and Danish leaders, U.S. officials indicate that the administration is considering various strategies, ranging from an outright purchase to a Compact of Free Association. While diplomacy remains the preferred route, the White House noted that the use of military options remains theoretically available, underscoring the President’s determination to secure a deal.
Tensions between Tbilisi and Brussels have deepened after the speaker of Georgia’s parliament, Shalva Papuashvili, publicly questioned the European Union’s ability to function as a global geopolitical guarantor. Citing recent international events, Papuashvili argued that the bloc has lost its capacity to uphold the global order and accused it of applying undue pressure on Georgia regarding democratic reforms and visa policies. Despite the sharp rhetoric, the government maintains that its strategic priorities remain the restoration of territorial integrity and the well-being of the Georgian people.
A magnitude 6.7 earthquake has struck off the coast of Mindanao in the southern Philippines, prompting residents to flee buildings but causing no immediate reports of casualties or major structural damage. Seismologists confirmed that the tremors occurred at a significant depth, which effectively ruled out the threat of a destructive tsunami hitting the region. Authorities in the archipelago, which sits on the seismically active Pacific "Ring of Fire", have advised the public to remain vigilant for potential aftershocks.
Power has been fully restored to a neighbourhood in Berlin after an arson attack triggered a blackout that lasted more than four days — the second s...
Experts say COP30 failed to deliver concrete commitments on fossil fuels and deforestation despite high expectations....
The leader of Yemen’s southern separatists failed to travel to Riyadh for crisis talks on Wednesday, leaving his fate unclear and complicating effor...
A U.S. immigration agent shot and killed a 37-year-old woman in her car in Minneapolis on Wednesday, local and federal officials said, amid an expande...
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on the United States to target Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Russia’s Chechnya region, with an op...
Power has been fully restored to a neighbourhood in Berlin after an arson attack triggered a blackout that lasted more than four days — the second such incident in the city since September.
Experts say COP30 failed to deliver concrete commitments on fossil fuels and deforestation despite high expectations.
The leader of Yemen’s southern separatists failed to travel to Riyadh for crisis talks on Wednesday, leaving his fate unclear and complicating efforts to contain a military escalation that has widened a rift between Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.
A U.S. immigration agent shot and killed a 37-year-old woman in her car in Minneapolis on Wednesday, local and federal officials said, amid an expanded immigration enforcement operation ordered by President Donald Trump.
Open-source intelligence (OSINT) sources reported a significant movement of U.S. military aircraft towards the Middle East in recent hours. Dozens of U.S. Air Force aerial refuelling tankers and heavy transport aircraft were observed heading eastwards, presumably to staging points in the region.
Diplomatic tensions between Tokyo and Beijing escalated as Japan slams China's export ban on dual-use goods. Markets have wobbled as fears grow over a potential rare earth embargo affecting global supply chains.
Two people have been killed after a private helicopter crashed at a recreation centre in Russia’s Perm region, Russian authorities and local media have said.
Iran’s chief justice has warned protesters there will be “no leniency for those who help the enemy against the Islamic Republic”, as rights groups reported a rising death toll during what observers describe as the country’s biggest wave of unrest in three years.
"Change is coming to Iran" according to U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham during an interview with Fox News on Tuesday (6 January). He warned Iran that "if you keep killing your people for wanting a better life, Donald Trump is going to kill you."
Power has been fully restored to a neighbourhood in Berlin after an arson attack triggered a blackout that lasted more than four days — the second such incident in the city since September.
A U.S. immigration agent shot and killed a 37-year-old woman in her car in Minneapolis on Wednesday, local and federal officials said, amid an expanded immigration enforcement operation ordered by President Donald Trump.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has called on the United States to target Ramzan Kadyrov, the leader of Russia’s Chechnya region, with an operation similar to the recent U.S. action that captured Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he will stop defence contractors from paying dividends or buying back shares until weapons production speeds up, criticising the industry for delays and high costs.
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he will meet Danish leaders next week, signalling that Washington is not retreating from President Donald Trump’s stated goal of acquiring Greenland, despite mounting concern among European allies.
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