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.
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Ceasefire
U.S. Vice President JD Vance has delivered a stark ultimatum to Moscow and Kyiv, urging them to accept a proposed ceasefire deal or face a withdrawal of American diplomatic efforts.
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U.S. President Donald Trump's envoy, Steve Witkoff, is traveling to Moscow this week for renewed peace talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. The White House confirmed Tuesday that Witkoff will attempt to advance negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.
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South Korea, US
South Korean Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok departed for Washington on Tuesday to lead high-level trade negotiations with U.S. officials.
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China’s pivot away from U.S. liquefied petroleum gas under new tariffs is shaking global energy flows, slashing demand, and fuelling a scramble for alternatives across Asia, with Middle Eastern suppliers and rival buyers seizing the moment.
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