While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Jan 7, 2026
Sign up now: Get ST's newsletters delivered to your inbox
At the Coalition summit for Ukraine on Jan 6 are (from left) German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, French President Emmanuel Macron, US Special Envoy Steve Witkoff, British Prime Minister Keir Starmer and US envoy Jared Kushner (just seen).
PHOTO: EPA
Follow topic:
US backs security guarantees for Ukraine at summit
The United States for the first time on Jan 6 backed a broad coalition of Ukraine’s allies in vowing to provide security guarantees that leaders said would include binding commitments to support the country if it is attacked by Russia again.
The pledge came at a summit in Paris of the “coalition of the willing” of mainly European nations to firm up security guarantees to reassure Kyiv in the event of a ceasefire with Russia, which invaded its neighbour in 2014 and again at full scale in 2022.
US special envoy Steve Witkoff said after the summit that President Donald Trump “strongly stands behind security protocols”.
A statement by coalition leaders also said that allies will participate in a proposed US-led ceasefire monitoring and verification mechanism.
Trump: If we don’t win midterms, I’ll get impeached
US President Donald Trump said on Jan 6 that Republicans must win the 2026 midterm elections or else he will get impeached by Democrats.
“You gotta win the midterms ‘cause, if we don’t win the midterms, it’s just gonna be - I mean, they’ll find a reason to impeach me,” Mr Trump said, at a retreat for House Republican lawmakers in Washington. “I’ll get impeached.”
The president urged his fellow Republicans to fight in a more unified fashion on issues ranging from gender politics to healthcare and election reforms, and to sell his policies to a public angry about cost of living issues.
As AI adoption rises, job fears grow across the US
ST PHOTO: BHAGYASHREE GAREKAR
It did not take long for the myth to crumble. A year ago, artificial intelligence was dismissed as too dim-witted for the front lines of finance. But Mr David Yin, a partner at Informed Ventures, has now backed an outfit that runs bookkeeping, tax compliance and financial analysis for start-ups and small firms, powered by both generative agents and licensed professionals.
Two young coders helm the start-up that provides end-to-end accounting at a fraction of the fees traditional firms charge for transaction sorting, bank reconciliation, book closing and analysis.
A ripple of unease is spreading across the US economy as the prospect of AI-related job losses conjures up dark scenarios like offices without young people because entry-level jobs are no longer open. And, maybe, even mass unemployment if the trend accelerates.
Six dead in weather accidents as cold snap grips Europe
PHOTO: EPA
Freezing temperatures plunged swathes of Europe into a second day of travel chaos on Jan 6, with six people dying in weather-related accidents during the continent’s bitterest cold snap this winter so far.
Since the mercury dropped on Jan 5, five people have died in France and one woman in Bosnia as heavy snow and rain sparked floods and power outages across the Balkans.
Paris’ two main airports, Roissy-Charles de Gaulle and Orly, were to cancel many flights early on Jan 7 to allow ground crews to clear snow from runways and de-ice planes.
De Minaur drags Australia into United Cup q-finals
World No. 6 Alex de Minaur beat an up-and-coming Jakub Mensik and then won in doubles to drag hosts Australia into the quarter-finals of the United Cup on Jan 6 and thrill an energised Sydney crowd.
Also progressing into the last eight of the season-opening 18-team ATP-WTA event were Belgium and the Czech Republic, but Italy bowed out.
Hopes are high at home that de Minaur, fondly known as “Demon”, can go deep at the Australian Open starting on Jan 18 and he served warning with a 6-4, 6-1 win over the 18th-ranked Mensik.
