Iran cut off from the world

Internet and phone lines have been blocked amid expanding protests.

Get full access to Reuters.com for just $1/week. Subscribe now. Daily Briefing Daily Briefing By Linda Noakes Hello. In a very busy end to the week we have the latest on protests in Iran, tensions in the US after a second shooting involving immigration officers, and Russia's firing of a hypersonic missile at a target in Ukraine. In business news, we report on a potential mining mega-deal and GM's pullback from electric vehicles. Plus, our photographers captured some of the defining images of the week - check out the slideshow. Don't miss out on Reuters news when browsing Google. Follow this link to add us to your Google Preferred Sources and see Reuters at the top of your search results.   Today's Top News   Protesters gather as vehicles burn amid evolving anti-government unrest in Tehran. Social Media/via REUTERS Iran was largely cut off from the outside world after authorities blacked out the internet to curb expanding protests, with phone calls not reaching the country, flights canceled and online Iranian news sites only intermittently updating. Tension over President Donald Trump's immigration crackdown rose after a second shooting involving immigration officers in two days deepened rifts between state and federal officials. Legal reporter Jack Queen spoke to the Reuters World News Podcast about the potential repercussions. The US Senate voted to advance a resolution that would bar Trump from taking further military action against Venezuela without congressional authorization. Trump said he had canceled a second wave of attacks on the country. Russia fired a powerful hypersonic missile at Ukraine near the EU border, in what Kyiv called a new threat to European security that demanded a global response. US officials have discussed sending lump sum payments to Greenlanders as part of a bid to convince them to secede from Denmark and potentially join the United States, according to sources familiar with the matter. The US Supreme Court could issue at least one ruling today as several major cases remain pending including litigation testing the legality of Trump's sweeping global tariffs. Strong winds battered France and Britain as Storm Goretti hit northern Europe, leaving hundreds of thousands of households without power. Business & Markets   Rio Tinto is in early talks to buy Glencore, in what could create the world's largest mining company with a combined market value of nearly $207 billion. European shares hit an all-time high, lifted by an 8.3% jump in Glencore. General Motors said it would take a $6 billion charge to unwind some electric-vehicle investments, the latest car company to pull back from EVs in response to the Trump administration's policies and fading demand. Chinese automaker Xpeng said it wanted to become better known as a "physical AI" company rather than just a carmaker, as it gears up to launch street trials of robotaxis and start mass producing humanoid robots later this year. Some of Warner Bros Discovery's biggest investors are split on Paramount Skydance's sweetened offer for the storied movie studio owner, giving the smaller media company a fighting chance at winning over shareholders. MiniMax Group, the second so-called Chinese 'AI tiger' to go public, rocketed 78% higher on its first day of Hong Kong trade, outshining fellow tiger Zhipu AI as investors clamored for a piece of a startup with popular consumer apps. Elon Musk's artificial intelligence startup xAI is investing more than $20 billion to build a data center in Southaven, Mississippi, as a boom in generative AI fuels demand for increased computing power. The Week Ahead Secretary of State Marco Rubio will meet with leaders of Denmark while European leaders and NATO allies scramble to push back on the US aim to take over Greenland.  The US consumer price index for December is due on Tuesday. The prior report showed consumer prices rose less than expected in the year to November, but households still faced affordability challenges. Earnings from TSMC, the world's No. 1 producer of advanced chips, will be closely watched for signals of whether the artificial intelligence investment boom has further to run. Major US bank results kick off a fourth-quarter reporting season that is expected to close out a solid year of corporate profit growth. Here's all you need to know about the coming week in financial markets. And for sports fans, check out Inside Track - your guide to all the action this weekend. The Week in Pictures   Captured Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro is escorted to court in Manhattan. REUTERS/Adam Gray A selection of our top photography from around the world this week. View gallery And Finally... Filipino Catholic devotees jostle to touch the carriage carrying the statue of the Black Nazarene in Manila. REUTERS/Noel Celis Hundreds of thousands of Philippine devotees joined an annual procession of a centuries-old statue of Jesus Christ, one of the world's largest displays of Catholic faith that this year served as a platform to criticize corrupt officials in the graft-weary nation. Read more   Sponsors are not involved in the creation of newsletters or other Reuters news content. Advertise in this newsletter or on Reuters' website   Reuters Daily Briefing is sent 5 days a week. Think your friend or colleague should know about us? Forward this newsletter to them. They can also sign up here. Want to stop receiving this email? Unsubscribe here. To manage which newsletters you're signed up for, click here. This email includes limited tracking for Reuters to understand whether you’ve engaged with its contents. For more information on how we process your personal information and your rights, please see our Privacy Statement. Terms & Conditions   © 2026 Thomson Reuters. All rights reserved. 3 Times Square, New York, NY 10036