26 January 2026
China
Chinese General Zhang Youxia, once considered Chinese leader Xi Jinping’s most-trusted military ally, was accused of leaking information about the country’s nuclear-weapons program to the U.S. and accepting bribes for official acts, including the promotion of an officer to defense minister. However, it appears the real reason Zhang is under investigation is for building his own networks of influence within the Chinese Communist Party, which poses a threat to Xi Jinping’s leadership position.
EU-Russia
Ministers from the 27EU member states on Monday gave their final approval to a regulation that will seeall Russian gas imports into the bloc banned by late 2027, a vote that allows the measure to pass into law. Under the agreement, the EU will halt imports of Russian liquefied natural gas (LNG) by the end of 2026 and of pipeline gas by September 30, 2027. However, if supply security is “seriously threatened in one or more EU countries,” the import ban could be suspended for up to four weeks.
Ukraine-US
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy described the US agreement on providing security guarantees to Kyiv as “100% ready.” On Friday and Saturday, negotiators from Ukraine,Russia and the US held their first trilateral meeting in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, to discuss ending the war. Negotiators will return to Abu Dhabi on February 1 for the next round of talks.
Canada-US
U.S. Ambassador to Canada Pete Hoekstra told CBC News that if Canada were to pull back from the F-35 deal that US military aircraft would be forced to enter Canadian airspace to address threats to US airspace. Hoekstra claims that NORAD would have to drastically change. Others disagree and state that if Canada were to go with another fighter jet – it still would be able to carry it out its NORAD obligations.
South Sudan
The UN is calling out an order given by South Sudan’s deputy army chief Gen Johnson Oluny, who stated that “spare no one,” including “children, the elderly, and civilians,” when they are deployed to opposition-held areas of the country . Forces aligned with South Sudan’s former Vice President Riek Machar have captured several areas in recent weeks. And the government ordered the military to quell the rebellion within seven days.
Syria
Kurdish SDF and the Syrian government both accuse one another of ceasefire violations. The government recently extended the ceasefire by 15 days after it gave the SDF four days to integrate into Syria.
South Korea
Hyundai Motor Group Executive Chair Chung Euisun joined a delegation to Canada to help secure the Hanwha Ocean bid for Canada’s submarine deal. Last year, Hyndai secure large-scale production bases in the United States, including in Alabama and Georgia, which will make a manufacturing plant in Canada redundant, however Hyundai is willing to invest in Canada somehow. Ottawa has asked the submarine bids to include car manufacturing.
Social media wires
Iranian techinals firing at protesters
Russia is pulling its forces out of Syria
Featured Photo: “Zhang Youxia” – Wikimedia Commons, 2026
The Wires Brief is a daily breaking news report incorporating wire service news and social media updates. DefRep cannot verify the authenticity of social media reporters nor the accuracy of social media updates. Feature photos are altered with grayscale.