Protest outside Azerbaijani Embassy in London features Iranian flags and hijab placards
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy...
Hamas is set to cede power in Gaza, as a U.S.-backed Palestinian committee prepares to take over the administration of the territory, Palestinian sources reported.
The development comes after Hamas begun talks with Egyptian mediators, in Cairo, on Wednesday (14 January).
The Hamas delegation, led by senior official Khalil al-Hayya, reportedly agreed to the creation of a technocratic committee to govern Gaza.
Under the US‑brokered framework, the committee would manage Gaza’s administration under the oversight of an international “Board of Peace.”
The move is part of a 20‑point peace plan first unveiled by President Donald Trump in October 2025.
Eighteen Palestinian officials have been invited to join the interim body that is expected to replace Hamas’s administrative structures.
Veteran Palestinian politician Ali Shaath is set to head the committee, with a retired senior intelligence official expected to oversee security, according to reports.
The committee is set to hold its first meeting in Cairo on Thursday, a key staging point for implementing the next phase of a fragile ceasefire and peace plan endorsed by Washington and regional mediators.
However, analysts caution that the change in governance alone may not be sufficient to advance the peace process.
Israeli officials have made clear that the second phase of the ceasefire (including a gradual Israeli withdrawal from parts of the territory) hinges on Hamas fully disarming, a condition the group has repeatedly rejected unless a Palestinian state is secured.
Washington, the White House has delayed the launch of the broader “Board of Peace,” instead focusing first on announcing the executive committee to run Gaza’s civil affairs.
The composition of this body has been influenced by figures with close ties to Israeli intelligence and leadership, underscoring ongoing regional tensions over Gaza’s future.
The Middle East conflict remains tense as diplomatic efforts continue alongside renewed Houthi attacks. Iran says it remains open to mediation, while the Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted a ballistic missile fired towards the kingdom.
Rescuers searched the wreckage of two high-speed trains in central Spain on Thursday as the death toll rose to a provisional 74, making it the country's second fatal high-speed rail disaster this year.
Evacuations and the provision of humanitarian aid in the Russian-occupied southern Ukrainian town of Oleshky have begun, a senior Ukrainian official said on Friday. In a statement on Telegram, David Arakhamia said a six-day ceasefire was holding, and that more details would follow.
Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday as part of efforts to reach a deal between the U.S. and Iran, according to an official briefed on the talks.
UN human rights experts comprising a group including Special Rapporteurs and independent experts who are part of the UN Human Rights Council, have criticised French authorities over their handling of nationwide student protests.
Demonstrators carrying Iranian flags and placards supporting the hijab gathered outside the Azerbaijani Embassy in London.
Opium poppy cultivation in Afghanistan surged by 330 per cent in 2026 despite a four-year ban, the United Nations said on Thursday. Afghan authorities disputed the findings, while Japan urged continued support for farmers seeking alternative livelihoods.
Central Asia could gain up to $640 million a year from closer energy cooperation, but strained electricity grids threaten to limit those gains, with Kazakhstan particularly exposed to regional power shortages and growing pressure on its network.
Georgia and Azerbaijan are stepping up efforts to boost trade, strengthen transport links between Asia and Europe and resolve a longstanding border dispute, as both countries seek to deepen their strategic partnership.
People travelling between Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Azerbaijan could soon be able to pay for purchases using their usual banking apps. Central banks from the five countries are working on linking their national payment systems.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
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