Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 20th of January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he would impose a 200% tariff on French wines and champagnes after France declined to join his proposed Board of Peace on Gaza. Asked about French President Emmanuel Macron’s decision, Trump said “nobody wants him because he will be out of office very soon,” adding that the tariff threat could force France to join. France said the board’s proposed powers could undermine the role of the United Nations, warning it would go beyond Gaza and raise serious concerns over the United Nation’s principles and structure.
Australia is set to pass new laws enabling a national gun buyback and stricter background checks for firearm licences following the country’s deadliest mass shooting in decades at a Jewish festival in Bondi Beach last month. The bill passed the lower house on Tuesday by 96 votes to 45 and is expected to clear the Senate with support from the Greens. The measures would establish the largest gun buyback since the 1996 Port Arthur massacre and expand licence checks using intelligence data. The government said Australia held a record 4.1 million firearms last year. Conservative lawmakers opposed the bill, arguing it unfairly targets lawful gun owners, while separate legislation on hate speech offences is also under debate.
Syrian government forces expanded control across parts of northern and eastern Syria after Kurdish-led fighters withdrew under a ceasefire agreement, consolidating President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s authority. Syria’s Interior Ministry said about 120 Islamic State detainees had escaped from a prison in the eastern town of Shaddadi after it came under government control, with security forces later recapturing dozens during search operations. The withdrawal followed the Syrian Democratic Forces’ decision to leave Raqqa and Deir al-Zor, key provinces that include major oil fields, under a deal requiring Kurdish fighters to be integrated individually into Syria’s armed forces.
Spain will hold three days of national mourning after a high-speed train collision in the southern province of Córdoba killed at least 40 people and injured around 120 others. The crash occurred near the town of Adamuz when two high-speed trains collided, with regional authorities warning the death toll could rise as dozens remain missing. Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez pledged full transparency as a formal investigation was launched, while rail services between Madrid and southern Andalusia were heavily disrupted following one of Spain’s deadliest rail accidents in decades.
U.S. President Donald Trump said he told NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte that Greenland was “imperative for National and World Security”, reinforcing his push to acquire the territory while escalating trade pressure on European allies. Trump said Denmark could not adequately protect Greenland and warned he would impose tariffs on countries opposing his plan, including a threatened 200% duty on French wines after France declined to join his proposed Board of Peace. European leaders rejected the approach, with Denmark and Greenland insisting the island is not for sale and European Union officials warning they are prepared to retaliate if the tariffs are imposed.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has accused the U.S. and Israel of seeking to foment internal divisions in Iran after failing to defeat the cou...
China has announced plans to complete the world's first AI-driven geological map of Mars by the end of 2028, a project that aims to reconstruct...
A 13-month-old Chihuahua named Comando is helping Mexico’s National Guard connect with the public, becoming its smallest canine member and an...
A Russian guided aerial bomb has struck an apartment building in Kharkiv, injuring 22 people, including children, according to the city’s mayor. The strike follows a day of near-continuous Russian attacks across Ukraine that killed at least five people.
Here's your AnewZ Daily Brief for 28 September 2026. These are the top stories making headlines in technology.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan has arrived in Washington for talks with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on bilateral ties and key regional and international developments, Saudi state news agency SPA reported.
U.S. President Donald Trump has denied reports that he offered Iran sanctions relief and access to frozen funds in exchange for nuclear concessions.
The European Union's decision to simultaneously advance accession talks with Ukraine, Moldova, Montenegro and Albania marks its most ambitious enlargement effort in more than two decades.
China has announced plans to complete the world's first AI-driven geological map of Mars by the end of 2028, a project that aims to reconstruct the red planet's ancient water history and introduce a Chinese framework for Martian geological time that Beijing hopes will become a new global standard.
Norway’s parliament on Wednesday began public hearings into ties between late U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and Norwegian diplomats and politicians, as authorities face questions over the impact of those relationships on the country’s foreign service.
New York prosecutors have reopened a criminal investigation into allegations that seven Cornell University fraternity members sexually assaulted a student in 2024. The case is set to be presented to a grand jury following renewed scrutiny.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham has declared that Brexit has done more harm than good, while reaffirming support for Ukraine and NATO as he used his first Labour conference speech as leader to set out a new direction for Britain.
The arrival in South Korea of two North Korean soldiers captured while fighting for Russia has created a rare legal, diplomatic and humanitarian case, raising questions over their status, security and future.
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