Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 5th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
‘Productive’ start to Ukraine-Russia peace talks in Abu Dhabi
Ukrainian and Russian officials have concluded a "productive" first day of U.S.-brokered peace negotiations in Abu Dhabi, aimed at ending the four-year conflict. It's amid a backdrop of intensified Russian missile strikes and President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s warning that Moscow must not use the ceasefire to rearm. Delegations, including U.S. representatives Jared Kushner and Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, focused on substantive steps and practical solutions, with discussions set to resume on Thursday.
U.S. and Iran set for Friday talks in Oman
Amidst heightened regional tensions and a significant American military buildup, the United States and Iran have agreed to hold talks in Muscat, Oman, on Friday. However, the diplomatic effort faces immediate hurdles as disagreements persist over the agenda. Washington insists on addressing Tehran’s ballistic missile arsenal, whilst Iranian officials maintain that negotiations must remain strictly limited to their nuclear programme.
U.S. and Argentina sign critical minerals deal
The United States and Argentina have signed a strategic framework agreement to bolster cooperation on critical minerals, aiming to secure resilient supply chains for essential resources such as lithium and copper. The deal, which aligns with Washington’s broader strategy to diversify sources for electric vehicles and defence technologies, seeks to reduce reliance on dominant global suppliers whilst fostering economic growth within Argentina’s mining sector.
Ceasefire strained as strikes kill 24 in Gaza
The fragility of the four-month-old ceasefire was underscored on Wednesday as Israeli tank shelling and airstrikes killed 24 Palestinians in Gaza, including seven children. Whilst the Israeli military said the strikes were a response to militant fire and targeted Hamas commanders, the violence coincided with a faltering reopening of the Rafah crossing, complicating the U.S.-backed ceasefire deal intended to facilitate the flow of aid and movement of patients.
Hundreds feared dead in Nigerian village attacks
Nearly 200 people have been killed in coordinated assaults on remote villages in western and northern Nigeria, marking one of the deadliest episodes in the country’s escalating security crisis this year. Suspected jihadists and armed gangs killed scores of residents in Kwara and Katsina states, with officials describing the brutality as retaliation against recent government counter-terrorism operations supported by U.S. intelligence.
The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has warned that France risks undermin...
SOCAR has completed the acquisition of a 99.82% stake in Italiana Petroli (IP) from API Holding after receiving all r...
Fuel exports from Azerbaijan to Armenia are continuing, with eight rail wagons carrying 479 tonnes of diesel fuel dis...
Health authorities are monitoring a widening hantavirus alert after new suspected cases emerged in Spain and on a remote South Atlantic island, day...
Russia is holding a significantly scaled-back Victory Day parade in Moscow on 9 May 2026, reflecting heightened security concerns and the ongoing w...
The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has warned that France risks undermining the self-determination rights of the Kanak Indigenous People in New Caledonia amid proposed political and constitutional reforms.
SOCAR has completed the acquisition of a 99.82% stake in Italiana Petroli (IP) from API Holding after receiving all required regulatory approvals.
Fuel exports from Azerbaijan to Armenia are continuing, with eight rail wagons carrying 479 tonnes of diesel fuel dispatched as part of the latest shipment between the two South Caucasus neighbours.
Health authorities are monitoring a widening hantavirus alert after new suspected cases emerged in Spain and on a remote South Atlantic island, days after an outbreak on a cruise ship left three people dead and several others infected.
The U.S military said it carried out retaliatory strikes on Iran on Thursday (7 May). Meanwhile, Iran's Joint Military Command accused the U.S. of breaching the ceasefire, by striking an Iranian oil tanker in the Strait of Hormuz and launching attacks on several Iranian cities.
The U.S. and Iran exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz, though both sides signalled they did not want escalation. The clashes come as Washington awaits Tehran’s response to a proposed deal to end the war while leaving key disputes, such as Iran’s nuclear programme, unresolved for now.
Singapore has isolated and is testing two of its residents who travelled aboard a cruise ship linked to a deadly hantavirus outbreak, the Communicable Diseases Agency (CDA) said on Thursday.
Efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war appeared to stall as the two sides exchanged fire in and around the Strait of Hormuz. A reported CIA assessment suggested Tehran could withstand a U.S. naval blockade for months despite mounting sanctions and renewed Gulf attacks.
Ukraine’s military said it struck a Russian Karakurt-class small missile carrier in the Caspian Sea near Russia’s Dagestan region on Thursday. The extent of the damage is still being assessed, according to Kyiv.
The United Nations Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination (CERD) has warned that France risks undermining the self-determination rights of the Kanak Indigenous People in New Caledonia amid proposed political and constitutional reforms.
Somalia is facing a severe malnutrition crisis and urgently needs additional humanitarian funding to prevent conditions deteriorating further, the World Food Programme has warned.
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer vowed to carry on as leader on Friday (8 May) after his ruling Labour Party suffered heavy losses in local elections. Labour lost hundreds of councillors across the country, as some figures in the party said he should stand down.
Indonesian rescue teams have located two Singaporeans who went missing after Mount Dukono erupted on Friday (8 May) on the island of Halmahera, though authorities say it remains unclear whether they are alive.
Health authorities are monitoring a widening hantavirus alert after new suspected cases emerged in Spain and on a remote South Atlantic island, days after an outbreak on a cruise ship left three people dead and several others infected.
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