Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 6th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
High-stakes negotiations between Iran and the United States are set to begin in Oman on Friday, though prospects for a breakthrough appear slim due to stark disagreements over the agenda. While Tehran insists the dialogue remain strictly limited to its nuclear programme, the Trump administration is pressing to include ballistic missiles and human rights issues. With a significant U.S. naval build-up nearby and reciprocal threats of military action, the talks are taking place under a cloud of escalating regional tension.
Diplomatic efforts are intensifying to prevent the U.S.-Iran standoff from spiralling into a broader conflict, with neighbouring powers seeking to calm the situation. Following warnings from Iranian media that regional states could become targets if they aid American operations, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has voiced strong opposition to any foreign military intervention. Simultaneously, Baku has reassured Tehran that Azerbaijani territory will not be utilised for third-party strikes, emphasising its commitment to neutrality and regional stability.
The United States and Russia have agreed to re-establish high-level military-to-military dialogue following a meeting in Abu Dhabi this week. The communication channel, which had been suspended since the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, is intended to prevent accidental escalation as President Donald Trump seeks to normalise relations with the Kremlin. This renewed engagement comes at a critical juncture, with the expiry of the New START nuclear arms control treaty on Thursday (5 February).
U.S. President Donald Trump has offered his "complete and total endorsement" of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi ahead of Sunday’s general election. As Japan’s first female premier seeks a fresh mandate for her economic agenda, including controversial tax cuts that have unsettled markets, Trump confirmed he will host her at the White House in March. The endorsement serves to underscore the strengthening alliance between the two nations, despite Beijing's sharp criticism of Takaichi’s robust stance on defence.
The UAE is solidifying its position as a pivotal venue for high-stakes international mediation, currently hosting sensitive talks regarding conflicts in Ukraine and the South Caucasus. Capitalising on its strategic neutrality and ability to maintain relations with rival powers, Abu Dhabi has become an essential bridge-builder outside traditional Western frameworks. This diplomatic influence was highlighted recently on Wednesday (4 February) when the country hosted Azerbaijani and Armenian leaders, as well as the facilitation of indirect dialogue between Washington and Tehran on Friday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said regional issues should be res...
Armenia could face soaring gas prices, a sharp drop in remittances and tighter restrictions on migrant workers if its membership of the Eurasian Ec...
Pakistan’s military chief is heading to Iran for talks as Islamabad pushes for dialogue between Tehran and Washington, while reaffirming its ...
U.S. President Donald Trump has criticised Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy for continuing to target Russia's energy infrastructure, while Russian strikes on Kyiv overnight killed at least one person and damaged a metro station.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Norway for talks about the Russia-Ukraine war. He is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who arrived in Oslo earlier. Witkoff will also meet European officials.
French President Emmanuel Macron has condemned the violence, looting and vandalism that erupted during cost-of-living protests across France. Prime Minister Sébastien Lecornu held crisis talks on Monday, calling for partial curfews and raising the possibility of a state of emergency.
An oil tanker caught fire after striking a naval mine in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy said late Sunday.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said regional issues should be resolved through diplomacy and blamed the United States for insecurity and tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, speaking at a joint news conference with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov on Monday.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy has arrived in Norway for talks about the Russia-Ukraine war. He is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump's Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, who arrived in Oslo earlier. Witkoff will also meet European officials.
Beijing says it deployed naval forces to monitor a U.S. warship near Sabina Shoal, while Taiwan reports a separate confrontation with a Chinese coast guard vessel near the Pratas Islands.
Tensions are mounting across Asia, with North Korea warning of war, China clashing with the U.S. and the Philippines, and protests gathering pace in Indonesia and India. Military threats, diplomatic disputes and political unrest are fuelling uncertainty across the region.
Canada’s oil-rich province of Alberta voted to remain part of the country in a non-binding referendum on Monday, 19 October, CBC News reports, delivering a much-needed victory for Prime Minister Mark Carney amid an ongoing trade war with the United States.
A Kenyan court has convicted cult leader Paul Mackenzie and 28 co-defendants of murder over the deaths of 191 people, including 190 children, in a case that shocked the world and exposed one of the deadliest cult-related tragedies in recent memory.
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