Baku animation festival brings global stories to young audiences
Children laughed, applauded and watched wide-eyed as animated characters lit up the screen at the opening of the ninth Animafilm International Anim...
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.
In the southern Gaza Strip, at least two Palestinians were killed and four others injured when an Israeli strike hit the city of Khan Younis on Monday, 5 January, according to officials at Nasser Hospital, the area’s main medical facility.
Hospital staff said those killed were a young girl and her uncle. The strike hit a tent sheltering displaced people.
The area targeted was one from which Israeli forces had previously withdrawn under a ceasefire that came into effect on 10 October.
Since then, Gaza’s health authorities say more than 420 Palestinians have been killed in related violence, while Palestinian militants have killed several Israeli soldiers.
Israel also carried out air and drone strikes in southern and eastern Lebanon, saying it was targeting infrastructure linked to Hezbollah and Hamas.
The Israeli military issued evacuation orders for four villages (Hammara, Ain el-Tineh, Kfar Hatta and Aanan) citing militant activity in the area.
Lebanon’s Health Ministry reported that a drone strike on a vehicle in the southern village of Braikeh wounded two people.
Israeli authorities said the vehicle was carrying two Hezbollah members, accusing the group of repeated threats and violations of the truce.
Additional strikes were reported in southern and eastern Lebanon, including near the coastal city of Sidon. Lebanese officials said one civilian was injured. Israel said the sites hit were used by Hezbollah and Hamas.
There was no immediate response from Hamas or Hezbollah.
The latest attacks come amid a ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah that took effect in late 2024, following more than a year of cross-border fighting.
Monitoring groups and Lebanese officials say the truce has been marked by repeated violations, with hundreds of Israeli air strikes reported in southern Lebanon since the agreement began.
Despite ceasefire arrangements, regional tensions remain high, fuelling fears that renewed violence could further destabilise the area.
Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran has “no trust” in the United States and will only consider negotiations if Washington shows seriousness. His remarks came as talks on Iran’s nuclear programme continued, with Trump and Xi also opposing Iran acquiring nuclear weapons.
The U.S.-Israeli war with Iran loomed over U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to China, as signs emerged that the conflict is causing a shift in alliances across the Middle East.
Thousands of fans turned out in Iran's capital Tehran for a massive farewell ceremony on Wednesday night for their national football team, wishing them success before their departure for the World Cup 2026 matches co-hosted by the United States and Mexico.
Ukraine has stepped up attacks on Russian energy facilities in recent months, amid stalled progress in peace negotiations. The strikes have targeted refineries, processing plants, pipelines and export infrastructure, causing repeated disruptions across Russia’s energy sector.
Negotiations between Samsung Electronics and its workforce on Wednesday have broken down, officials said, raising fresh concerns over potential disruption to South Korea’s export-heavy economy.
Uzbekistan has launched a nationwide environmental initiative titled ‘Day Without Cars’, which will take place twice a month as part of efforts to improve air quality and reduce vehicle emissions.
The thirteenth session of the World Urban Forum will open in Baku on Sunday, bringing together government representatives, city leaders, urban planners, international organisations, businesses and civil society to discuss the future of sustainable urban development.
Children laughed, applauded and watched wide-eyed as animated characters lit up the screen at the opening of the ninth Animafilm International Animation Festival in Baku, where filmmakers and audiences from around the world gathered to celebrate the growing influence of animated cinema.
Leaders of the Organisation of Turkic States (OTS) gathered in the Kazakh city of Turkistan for an informal summit focused on strengthening cooperation in trade, transport, energy and regional connectivity as the bloc seeks to expand its geopolitical and economic influence across Eurasia.
Georgia is positioning itself as a future energy bridge between the Caspian and Europe, backed by major infrastructure plans and growing EU support. But behind the ambitious pitch lies a far more complicated political reality.
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