Morning Briefing: Jan. 13, 2026

ISTANBUL

Here is a rundown of all the news you need to start your Tuesday, including US President Donald Trump ordering 25% tariff on countries doing business with Iran, Somalia cancelling UAE security and defense deals linked to key ports, and UN reporting nearly 95,000 child malnutrition cases in Gaza Strip in 2025.

TOP STORIES

• Trump orders 25% tariff on countries doing business with Iran

The US will impose a 25% tariff on "any and all" countries doing business with Iran, President Donald Trump declared on Monday.

"Effective immediately, any country doing business with the Islamic Republic of Iran will pay a tariff of 25% on any and all business being done with the United States of America," Trump said in a post on his social media company Truth Social. "This Order is final and conclusive."

Additional details on the import duties were not immediately available.

While Trump has repeatedly threatened to attack Iran if authorities there use lethal force to suppress protests that have spread nationwide, his latest post came just hours after the White House said he "has an interest" in exploring diplomacy with Tehran.

• Somalia cancels UAE security, defense deals linked to key ports over sovereignty concerns

The Somali government has cancelled security and defense agreements with the UAE linked to several key ports, citing alleged breaches of the country’s sovereignty, national unity, and political independence, the prime minister’s office said in a statement on Monday.

The decision was based on “reports and strong evidence regarding wrongful actions that undermine the sovereignty, national unity, and political independence” of Somalia, the statement said.

At a Cabinet meeting, ministers agreed to annul all agreements and cooperative arrangements concerning the ports of Berbera, Bosaso, and Kismayo, the statement added.

The Cabinet also approved a draft law on protecting Somalia’s sovereignty and territorial unity, along with an arbitration bill, the premier’s office also said.

• UN reports nearly 95,000 child malnutrition cases in Gaza Strip in 2025

The UN on Monday warned that child malnutrition in the Gaza Strip has reached alarming levels, with nearly 95,000 cases identified in 2025 and harsh winter conditions eroding fragile humanitarian gains.

Citing the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), UN spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said at a news conference that "the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip remains dire, as harsh weather conditions are jeopardizing the progress made by the humanitarian response."

Dujarric reported that the agencies leading the nutrition response continue to detect large numbers of children in urgent need.

"Meanwhile, our humanitarian partners leading on addressing malnutrition report that last month they screened over 76,000 children and identified around 4,900 cases of acute malnutrition, including more than 820 cases of severe acute malnutrition," he said.

NEWS IN BRIEF

• Non-essential staff at the French Embassy in Iran have departed the country, according to media reports on Monday.

  
  
• Venezuelan opposition figure Maria Corina Machado will meet with President Donald Trump on Thursday, a White House official confirmed Monday.
  
  
• Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Monday evening that contacts between him and US envoy Steve Witkoff “continued before and after the protests, and are still ongoing.”
  
  
• The UK government will introduce a new criminal offense this week targeting the creation of non-consensual intimate images, Technology Secretary Liz Kendall said on Monday, amid concerns over AI deepfakes.
  
  
• The Venezuelan Penitentiary Services Ministry announced on Monday that 116 individuals have been released as a result of coordinated efforts.
  
  
• NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte said Monday that allied nations are discussing "next steps" to ensure security in the Arctic, citing a risk that Russia and China could be “more active” in the strategically important region.
  
  
• The death toll from protests in Iran has risen to 646, the US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) said on Monday.
  
  
• The Syrian Army on Monday called the deployment of armed groups by the terrorist organization YPG/SDF in the eastern Aleppo province a “dangerous escalation,” warning that any action by these groups would be met with “a violent response.”
  
  
• At least five policemen were killed on Monday in a bomb blast in northwestern Pakistan, officials confirmed.
  
  
• Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei posted an image on social media on Monday depicting US President Donald Trump as an ancient pharaoh, warning that he would ultimately face the same fate as past tyrants.
  
  
• Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said she discussed security, drug trafficking, and trade issues with US President Donald Trump in a “very good” phone call on Monday.
  
  
• Iran has been offline for more than 100 hours, London-based internet monitoring group NetBlocks said on Monday.
  
  
• Spain and Greece reiterated their support on Monday for the full implementation of the US-backed Gaza peace plan, as the two countries' leaders met in Madrid to discuss developments in the Middle East, the situation in Venezuela and bilateral economic ties.
  
  
• Ten civilians were killed and nine others wounded in a drone attack carried out by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) on the city of Sinja, the capital of Sennar State in southeastern Sudan, the Sudan Doctors Network said Monday.

BUSINESS & ECONOMY

• Gazprom supplies more natural gas to China than to Europe in 2025

Russian energy company Gazprom announced Monday that last year, for the first time, it supplied more natural gas to China than to Europe.

Gazprom said the company continued to sell natural gas to neighboring countries in 2025.

The statement noted that the company increased its natural gas shipments to Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, and Kyrgyzstan by 22.2% last year, and to Georgia by 40.4%.

• Alphabet market value hits $4T for first time

Alphabet, the parent company of Google and one of the leading US technology firms, saw its market value reach $4 trillion for the first time on Monday, driven by gains in its share price following positive developments in artificial intelligence (AI).

Alphabet shares rose 1.6% to $334.44 after US markets opened, as of 1525 GMT, marking an all-time high and pushing the company’s market capitalization beyond the $4 trillion threshold.

With this milestone, Alphabet became the fourth company to exceed a $4 trillion valuation, joining Nvidia, Microsoft and Apple.