Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for January 28th, covering the latest developments you need to know.
1. Lebanon-Israel Ceasefire Extended
The White House announced that the ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel has been extended until February 18th. This extension will allow for talks regarding the return of Lebanese prisoners captured after October 7, 2023.
2. Tensions in Eastern Congo:
M23 rebels, backed by Rwanda, have asserted control over Goma, a strategically important city in eastern Congo. The UN has described a scene of "mass panic" among the city's 2 million residents. Congo's government has condemned the rebel advance as a "declaration of war." Adding to the tension, the UN Secretary-General has called for the withdrawal of Rwandan forces from the Democratic Republic of Congo.
3. US Halts WHO Collaboration
The CDC ordered staff to stop working with the World Health Organization, following Trump’s earlier withdrawal order
A U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official, John Nkengasong, sent a memo to senior leaders at the agency on Sunday night telling them that all staff who work with the WHO must immediately stop their collaborations and “await further guidance.”
4.US Border Security
Texas deployed 400 National Guard troops to the Mexico border, supported by military aircraft
Governor Greg Abbott deployed the troops to the Rio Grande Valley, where he said they'll work side-by-side with U.S. Border Patrol agents to keep migrants from illegally entering the country.
5. EU agrees on 'step-by-step' roadmap to start easing sanctions on Syria
The European Union has taken the first step to ease its stringent, far-reaching sanctions against Syria after foreign affairs ministers endorsed on Monday a roadmap for a temporary suspension contingent upon progress on the ground.
6.Two hundred UK companies sign up for permanent four-day working week
Two hundred UK companies have signed up for a permanent four-day working week for all their employees with no loss of pay, in the latest landmark in the campaign to reinvent Britain’s working week.
Together the companies employ more than 5,000 people, with charities, marketing and technology firms among the best-represented, according to the latest update from the 4 Day Week Foundation.
7. 300,000 displaced Palestinians return to northern Gaza after ceasefire
Over 300,000 displaced Palestinians have returned to northern Gaza following a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, the Gaza Media Office said Monday.
“More than 300,000 displaced people from the southern and central Gaza governorates returned to Gaza and Northern governorates today via the Rashid (west) and Salah al-Din (east) streets, after 470 days,” the office reported in a statement.
8. Google Maps to rename 'Gulf of Mexico' to 'Gulf of America' for US users
Google Maps will change the name of "Gulf of Mexico" to "Gulf of America" once it is officially updated in the U.S. Geographic Names System, Google said in an X post on Monday.
The change will be visible in the U.S., but the name will remain "Gulf of Mexico" in Mexico. Outside of the two countries, users will see both names on Google Maps.
9.Azerbaijan Enforces Campaign Silence Ahead of Municipal Elections
Azerbaijan has entered a mandatory "Silence Day" period ahead of its municipal elections on January 29, with all election campaigning halted 24 hours prior to voting in compliance with national law.
Under Part 1, Article 75 of Azerbaijan’s Electoral Code, political parties and candidates are barred from conducting any form of electioneering on voting day and the preceding day. The measure aims to ensure voters can make decisions without last-minute influence.
10. Kazakhstan, Türkiye Sign Military Cooperation Plan for 2025 in Ankara
A military cooperation plan for 2025 was signed between Kazakhstan and Türkiye during a visit of a Kazakh delegation led by Colonel Olzhas Khussainov, head of the International Cooperation Department of the Defense Ministry, to Ankara.
The agreement was signed by Khussainov and Turkish Brigadier General Çatal Erdoğan, reported the Kazakh Defense Ministry on Jan. 27.
U.S. forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island on Sunday, with Tehran responding by launching ballistic missiles at two U.S. bases...
The death toll from last week's catastrophic floods in Nepal and Tibet rose to 939 on Monday, with 3,044 peo...
At least 11 people, including eight children, have been killed after a powerful explosion at a firecracker fact...
Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev and Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan have concluded talks in Bishkek, the capital of Kyrgyzstan, as leaders gather for the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit.
Iran has reached an understanding with Oman on transit arrangements through the Strait of Hormuz, but the waterway will remain closed until the U.S. fulfils its commitments, a senior Iranian diplomat said on Saturday.
U.S. forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island on Sunday, with Tehran responding by launching ballistic missiles at two U.S. bases in Jordan in the first direct U.S.-Iran military escalation in weeks.
Russia views NATO’s growing military activity in the Arctic as a direct threat to its national security, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said.
At least 37 people were killed after a Russian drone strike hit an ammunition depot in the Kyiv region, triggering powerful secondary explosions President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said on Saturday, vowing to punish suspected negligence in the second such incident in two months.
The death toll from last week's catastrophic floods in Nepal and Tibet rose to 939 on Monday, with 3,044 people still missing, as fresh rainfall pushed up river levels and forced rescuers to move to higher ground.
Recovery teams are continuing operations in Grand Canyon National Park after flash floods swept through parts of the canyon over the weekend, leaving one person dead and leading to the discovery of a second body that has yet to be recovered.
Türkiye, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia have formalised their new defensive alliance at the grouping’s first high-level meeting held Monday in Istanbul.
Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian has stated that Tehran is not pursuing a military conflict but promised a strong response to 'aggressors' while the Army and Revolutionary Guards said they carried out retaliatory attacks against U.S. bases in the region on Monday.
Kyrgyzstan is hosting the sixth World Nomad Games, bringing together thousands of athletes from around the world for a celebration of traditional sports, cultural heritage and nomadic traditions.
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