Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 19 January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Scores dead and dozens injured in Spanish rail disaster
At least 21 people have died and 75 others were hospitalised after a high-speed train derailed and collided with an oncoming service in southern Spain on Sunday evening. The accident happened near Adamuz in the province of Cordoba, about 360 km (223 miles) south of the capital Madrid. There were around 400 passengers on the two trains, most of them Spaniards travelling back to and from Madrid after the weekend. It was unclear how many tourists could be onboard as January is not holiday season in Spain.
President Trump: 'it will be done' on getting 'Russian threat' away from Greenland
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Denmark has not been able to do anything to get the "Russian threat" away from Greenland, and said, "Now it is time, and it will be done!!!" Trump has repeatedly insisted he will settle for nothing less than ownership of Greenland, an autonomous territory of Denmark. Leaders of both Denmark and Greenland have insisted the island is not for sale and does not want to be part of the United States.
Chile declares state of catastrophe as wildfires kill at least 18 people
President Gabriel Boric has declared a state of catastrophe in two southern regions of Chile after raging wildfires, fuelled by extreme heat and strong winds, claimed at least 18 lives. Approximately 20,000 residents have been forced to evacuate their homes in Ñuble and Bío Bío as firefighters battle 24 active blazes that have already consumed nearly 8,500 hectares of land. With temperatures forecast to reach 38C, authorities warned that the adverse weather conditions are severely hampering efforts to control the spread of the fires.
Portugal heads for first presidential runoff in decades
Portugal will hold a presidential runoff for the first time since 1986 after moderate Socialist Antonio Jose Seguro topped Sunday’s first round of voting without securing an absolute majority. Seguro, who won 31.1% of the vote, will face far-right leader Andre Ventura, who secured 23.5%, in a second ballot on 8 February. While the result highlights the rapid rise of the anti-establishment Chega party, analysts suggest the Socialist candidate remains the favourite to win the final vote due to the polarised nature of Ventura’s support base.
Iran warns U.S., judiciary hints at unrest executions
Iran’s president warned on Sunday that any U.S. strike on the country would trigger a “harsh response” from Tehran, as nationwide unrest continues and tensions with Washington remain high. The warning came after an Iranian official in the region said at least 5,000 people, including around 500 security personnel, had been killed in protests that erupted across the country late last month. Against this backdrop, Iran’s state broadcaster was briefly hijacked on Sunday (18 January), airing footage of anti-government protests and a message from exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, according to opposition-linked outlets.
Residents in Pakistan say they are feeling "crushed" and have to put filling up the tank before putting food on the table. Diesel is set ...
The 4-person crew in the Orion capsule on NASA's Artemis II space shuttle carried out a key thruster firing on Thursday, sending the ship ...
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz by tele...
The United Nations Security Council is to vote on a Bahraini resolution to protect commercial shipping in ...
Iran has rejected claims it has been weakened, vowing instead “more crushing” attacks against the United States and ...
Residents in Pakistan say they are feeling "crushed" and have to put filling up the tank before putting food on the table. Diesel is set to rise by 55% and petrol 43% as the government hike prices for the second time in a month.
The 4-person crew in the Orion capsule on NASA's Artemis II space shuttle carried out a key thruster firing on Thursday, sending the ship past the main orbit of the Earth towards the moon, in the hope of beating Apollo 13's distance in 1970, as they took pictures using phones and cameras.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed safety of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz by telephone with Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Thursday, the Russian foreign ministry said. A statement on the ministry website said the call had taken place at the initiative of Iran.
The United Nations Security Council is to vote on a Bahraini resolution to protect commercial shipping in and around the Strait of Hormuz, diplomats said on Friday, but veto-wielding China made clear its opposition to authorising any use of force.
Fears of wider escalation grow despite President Donald Trump saying U.S. strikes on Iran could end within weeks. Meanwhile missile attacks, tanker incidents and rising casualties across Israel, Lebanon and the Gulf heighten risks to regional stability and energy routes.
There are fears of an oil spill after a drone strike hit a Kuwaiti oil tanker near Dubai on Tuesday, while U.S.-Israeli strikes in Iran reportedly killed at least two people. A loud explosion was heard in Beirut in southern Lebanon early Wednesday, as oil prices climbed above $100 a barrel.
Russian-flagged tanker carrying approximately 700,000 barrels of crude oil docked at Cuba's Matanzas oil terminal on Tuesday, shipping data confirmed, marking a vital and controversial delivery to an island paralysed by severe energy shortages and a suffocating U.S. blockade.
Four astronauts blasted off from Florida on Wednesday on NASA's Artemis II mission, a high-stakes voyage around the moon that marks the United States' boldest step yet toward returning humans to the lunar surface later this decade in a race with China.
An earthquake of magnitude 7.6 struck in Indonesia's Northern Molucca Sea on Thursday, killing one person, damaging some buildings and triggering tsunami waves, authorities and witnesses said.
In a dramatic shake-up at the top of the U.S. Justice Department, President Donald Trump has removed Attorney General Pam Bondi from her post, a White House official confirmed on Thursday.
American President Donald Trump threatened on Wednesday to pull the United States out of NATO after European nations refused to join a U.S.-led naval mission to unblock the Strait of Hormuz.
France has unveiled a delayed wave of renewable energy tenders to boost energy independence and strengthen domestic and European industry.
China is emerging as one of the more stable economies amid the latest global oil shock, thanks to years of planning, diversified energy sources and a steady shift towards renewable power.
In a major policy reversal, the U.S. Treasury has removed Venezuela’s acting president, Delcy Rodríguez, from its sanctions list, signalling a sharp shift in Washington’s approach to Caracas.
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