Serdar Dincel
03 January 2026•Update: 03 January 2026
ISTANBUL
Here is a rundown of all the news you need to start your Saturday, including Iran calling on the UN to respond to "reckless" US statements amid protests, Volodymyr Zelenskyy proposes appointment of Mykhailo Fedorov as Ukraine's new defense chief, and Saudi Arabia backing Yemeni president’s call for Riyadh talks.
TOP STORIES
- Iran calls on UN to respond to 'reckless' US threats amid protests
Iran’s ambassador to the United Nations has written a letter to top UN officials, urging them to condemn what he described as “reckless and provocative statements” against Tehran by US President Donald Trump amid ongoing protests in the country.
Addressed to UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and the president of the UN Security Council, Amir Saeed Iravani's Friday letter followed remarks by Trump earlier in the day, in which he said the US was “locked and loaded and ready to go” if further protesters were killed during ongoing demonstrations in Iran over the cost of living.
The letter stated that Iran’s government reaffirms "its inherent right to defend its sovereignty” and added that it would “exercise its rights in a decisive and proportionate manner.”
- Zelenskyy proposes appointment of Mykhailo Fedorov as Ukraine's new defense chief
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy announced on Friday that he proposed the appointment of Mykhailo Fedorov, the country's digital transformation minister, as the new defense chief.
"I have decided to change the format of the Ukrainian Defense Ministry's work. I proposed to Mykhailo Fedorov that he become the new Minister of Defense of Ukraine," Zelenskyy said in a video message on US social media company X.
Fedorov is "deeply involved" in issues pertaining to the drones and "works very effectively" in the digitalization of state services and processes, he added.
- Saudi Arabia backs Yemeni president’s call for Riyadh talks, urges southern factions to attend
Saudi Arabia on Saturday welcomed a request by Rashad al-Alimi, president of Yemen's internationally recognized government, for a comprehensive conference to discuss "just solutions" to the southern Yemen issue.
"Building on the close relation between the two brotherly countries and what shared interests require under the current circumstances," the ministry said Riyadh welcomes the request, and urged all southern factions to "actively" take part in the conference to formulate a comprehensive framework for "just solutions" addressing the southern cause and "the legitimate aspirations of the southern people."
Yemen has seen an unprecedented escalation since Tuesday, after the Southern Transitional Council (STC) forces took control of Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra in early December. The two provinces account for nearly half of Yemen’s territory and share borders with Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia accused the United Arab Emirates (UAE) the same day of “pushing STC forces to carry out military operations” along the kingdom’s southern border in Hadhramaut and Al-Mahra. Abu Dhabi denied the accusation.
NEWS IN BRIEF
The Pentagon said that no final decision has been made regarding the status of a US Army squadron in South Korea, rejecting reports that the unit had been deactivated, South Korean media reported.
A 6.5 magnitude earthquake struck southern Mexico, according to the US Geological Survey, killing at least one person.
US President Donald Trump signed an executive order blocking HieFo Corp.’s acquisition of semiconductor-related assets from Emcore Corp., citing national security concerns as the reason.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres is "deeply concerned" by the Israeli authorities’ announcement to suspend the operations of several international non-governmental organizations in the occupied Palestinian territory, his spokesman said.
Two US Republican lawmakers criticized President Donald Trump’s reported threats of military intervention against Iran, arguing that such moves would undermine constitutional limits.
Somalia assumed the rotating presidency of the UN Security Council for January, marking the country's first time holding the position since it last served on the council in 1971–72.
The United Arab Emirates (UAE) announced that it has completed the return of its forces from Yemen, implementing a previously declared decision to end the remaining counterterrorism mission in the country.
The head of Yemen’s Southern Transitional Council (STC) announced a two-year “transitional phase” that would include dialogue with parties in northern Yemen under UN supervision and a “referendum” on the future of the south.
China carried out a record 92 space launches in 2025, the highest annual total in its history, state-run media reported.
Turkish security forces on Friday arrested 85 suspects in separate counterterrorism operations targeting the ISIS (Daesh) terror group in eastern Türkiye, authorities said.
Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha discussed the situation on the frontline and upcoming diplomatic gatherings with his French counterpart, Jean-Noel Barrot.
BUSINESS & ECONOMY
- China's BYD overtakes Tesla as world's top EV seller
Chinese automaker BYD overtook American competitor Tesla on Friday as the world's top seller of electric cars for the calendar year 2025.
BYD sold 2.26 million fully electric vehicles in 2025, up 28% from a year earlier, according to a statement released on Thursday.
Tesla, meanwhile, said it delivered 1.64 million cars last year, which is consistent with a forecast of 1.6 million cars that the company had put together.
- Turkish Aerospace Industries receives $2.95B order in engine production
Turkish defense giant Turkish Aerospace Industries (TAI)'s subsidiary TUSAS Engine Industries (TEI) has received a $2.95 billion order in high value-added engine production technologies, Türkiye's defense industries secretary announced on Friday.
"While 2025 ended with record-breaking achievements, TEI has achieved its first major export success of 2026," Haluk Gorgun wrote on Turkish social media platform NSosyal.
Gorgun said the order won from abroad is a strong confirmation that Türkiye is among the world's leading centers in high value-added engine production technologies.
