The Trump administration has denied a report that countries would be required to pay $1bn to join a proposed U.S.-backed peace initiative, after Bloomberg News said a draft charter set out a membership fee.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for 18 January, covering the latest developments you need to know.
Leaders from several countries have received invitations to join a so-called U.S.-led ‘Board of Peace’, an initiative that would initially aim to end the conflict in Gaza before expanding to address other global disputes, diplomats said on Saturday.
Israel said on Saturday that the Trump administration’s announcement on the composition of a new Gaza executive board was made without coordination and contradicts Israeli government policy.
White House announced on Friday the formation of a technocratic committee to oversee the transition of power in the Gaza Strip as part of President Donald Trump's 20-point plan to end the conflict in the territory.
President Donald Trump announced Thursday evening that the long-awaited “Board of Peace” to oversee Gaza’s reconstruction has officially been formed.
President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff, announced on Wednesday the launch of phase two of the Gaza plan, which includes the establishment of a technocratic Palestinian administration in the enclave.
Six Palestinian children have died from hypothermia in Gaza this winter, United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) said on Tuesday (13 January). The agency warned that more than 100 children have been killed since a ceasefire took effect in early October, 2025.
The U.S. military said it carried out multiple airstrikes across Syria early on Saturday (10 January) as part of an operation that began last month, after it said Islamic State militants killed two U.S. soldiers and a civilian interpreter in an attack on 13 December.
Türkiye says it's prepared a self-sustaining international stabilisation force for Gaza and has already begun training, Defence Minister Yaşar Güler said, reiterating Ankara’s readiness to deploy troops to support humanitarian efforts and help end the fighting.
U.S. President Donald Trump is expected to announce the creation of a Gaza “Board of Peace” next week as part of the second phase of the ceasefire agreement aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza, according to reports.
President Ilham Aliyev has said Azerbaijan is not considering participation in any combat or peace enforcement mission in the Gaza Strip, stressing that any discussion of involvement depends on a clearly defined international mandate, the nature of the mission, and the consent of all parties.
Israeli air strikes in Gaza and Lebanon have raised fresh concerns about the durability of ceasefire agreements, after deadly attacks were reported in both territories.
Israeli media report that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu chaired a lengthy security meeting that reportedly focused on the country’s regional threats, including Gaza, Lebanon, and Iran.
Israel will revoke the licenses of 37 aid organisations from operating in Gaza and the West Bank, stating the groups have failed to meet the requirements under new registration rules.
Türkiye will never tolerate coercion, piracy, or banditry in its maritime “blue homeland,” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on Wednesday.
Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in an interview with Fox News on Tuesday, defended Israeli strikes on Gaza following a ceasefire, confirming that U.S. President Donald Trump had expressed no concerns over the actions.
The United States and Israel do not fully agree on the future of the West Bank, U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday, without detailing the differences.
Strong winds and heavy rain battered tent camps in the southern Gaza city of Khan Younis on Sunday, offering little protection to thousands of displaced Palestinians struggling to survive winter conditions in the war-ravaged enclave.
Türkiye’s intelligence chief has held talks with the head of Hamas’ negotiating team as part of ongoing efforts to advance the Gaza ceasefire agreement, Turkish security sources said on Saturday.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has issued a stark warning over the humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.
A fresh humanitarian emergency is unfolding across the Gaza Strip as torrential winter rains batter fragile encampments, leaving thousands of civilians vulnerable just months after the October ceasefire.
U.S. President Donald Trump confirmed that his administration is examining whether Israel violated the Gaza ceasefire agreement by conducting an airstrike on Saturday (13 December) that killed Hamas leader Raad Saad.
Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan says international cooperation is essential for Syria’s recovery as investment slowly begins to return despite the scale of destruction after years of conflict.
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