Australian bushfires raze homes, cut power to tens of thousands
Thousands of firefighters worked tirelessly on Saturday in Victoria, Australia, to combat bushfires that have destroyed homes, left tens of thousands ...
A new country is poised to join the Abraham Accords, the series of normalisation agreements with Israel, according to U.S. President Donald Trump’s special envoy, Steve Witkoff.
Speaking at a business forum in Miami on Thursday, Witkoff said he was returning to Washington for the official announcement later in the evening.
“I’m flying back to Washington tonight because we’re going to announce another country joining the Abraham Accords,” he said.
Trump is expected to host the leaders of five Central Asian nations — Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Kyrgyzstan — at the White House on Thursday evening. It remains unclear whether the announcement will take place during the dinner, though the president is expected to attend.
The Abraham Accords, first signed during Trump’s initial term in office, normalised relations between Israel and several Muslim-majority countries. To date, Bahrain, Morocco, Sudan, and the United Arab Emirates have joined the agreements.
According to Axios, the country expected to join is Kazakhstan, which has maintained diplomatic relations with Israel since 1992. A U.S. official told the outlet that the move aims to reinvigorate efforts to expand regional normalisation.
“This demonstrates that the Abraham Accords remain a group many countries wish to be part of. It’s also a step towards turning the page on the Gaza war and fostering greater peace and cooperation in the region,” the official said.
The announcement comes as Israel faces increasing diplomatic isolation amid its ongoing war in Gaza, where nearly 70,000 Palestinians have been killed, according to figures from Gaza's Health Ministry.
In response, several nations have severed diplomatic ties with Israel or officially recognised the State of Palestine, underscoring the growing international backlash over the conflict.
Snow and ice stalled travellers in northwest Europe on Wednesday, forcing around a thousand to spend the night in Amsterdam's Schiphol airport but delighting others who set out to explore a snow-blanketed Paris on sledges and skis.
U.S. President Donald Trump has warned that Iran could face a strong response from the United States if its authorities kill protesters amid ongoing unrest.
Iran is now facing a near‑total internet blackout as anti-government protests sweep the country. Major cities including Tehran have seen connectivity drop sharply, leaving millions of residents isolated from online communication.
New York City parents could soon have access to free childcare for two-year-old children following a joint announcement made by Mayor Zohran Mamdani and Governor Kathy Hochul on Thursday (8 January).
Tens of thousands of Iranians have taken to the streets in Tehran and across at least 28 cities in a wave of anti-government demonstrations, now entering their twelfth day.
President Donald Trump stated on Friday that the U.S. must acquire Greenland to prevent Russia or China from potentially occupying the island in the future.
Thousands of firefighters worked tirelessly on Saturday in Victoria, Australia, to combat bushfires that have destroyed homes, left tens of thousands without power, and scorched large areas of bushland.
A South Korean court hearing the case of former President Yoon Suk Yeol on charges of insurrection postponed the sentencing request until next week after a lengthy session. This case could potentially lead to a death penalty verdict for Yoon due to his failed attempt to impose martial law in 2024.
Türkiye is reportedly in discussions to join the defence alliance between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan, a strategic move that could reshape security dynamics in the Middle East and South Asia.
The United Nations has described footage of the fatal ICE shooting in Minneapolis as deeply disturbing, urging a thorough investigation and reaffirming the right to peaceful protest.
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