Uzbekistan moves toward Islamic banking as Senate backs new law
Uzbekistan is preparing to introduce Islamic banking after the Senate approved legislation creating a legal framework for Sharia-compliant financial s...
Ukraine’s acceptance of a U.S. ceasefire proposal has salvaged its strained ties with Washington, securing the resumption of military aid and intelligence sharing. However, fundamental issues in the conflict with Russia remain unresolved.
After more than eight hours of talks in Jeddah, the U.S. agreed to take Ukraine’s ceasefire acceptance to Moscow, shifting pressure onto Russia. The deal marks the first significant step toward a peace process, though territorial disputes were left unaddressed.
The meeting followed last month’s tense Oval Office exchange between Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and U.S. President Donald Trump. Ukrainian officials said Washington initially proposed a broader ceasefire beyond Kyiv’s request for an air and sea truce. Kyiv agreed after consulting its leadership, leading to an immediate restoration of U.S. support.
"For us, it was very important to have the understanding that the truce would go along with two very important things: an immediate lifting of the pause of military assistance and intelligence sharing," Zelenskyy’s adviser Ihor Zhovkva told Reuters.
Despite the diplomatic breakthrough, analysts warn the war’s core issues remain unresolved. Former Ukrainian defence minister Andriy Zagorodnyuk cautioned that Russia’s demands for peace remain unclear and that the U.S. stance could evolve.
Experts fear the ceasefire could entrench Russian territorial gains. "A temporary truce risks cementing current front lines, making the conflict frozen rather than resolved," said Keir Giles of Chatham House.
The Kremlin said it was awaiting official details from Washington, while senior Moscow sources indicated any deal must account for Russia’s territorial advances and security concerns.
A source close to the Ukrainian government described the ceasefire proposal as a strategic move that may have caught Russia off guard. "It’s a strong check on the chessboard," the source said.
However, some Ukrainian officials expect Russia to derail the deal, with a former senior security official suggesting that if Moscow antagonises Trump, Kyiv could secure stronger U.S. military support.
Winter weather has brought air travel in the German capital to a complete halt, stranding thousands of passengers as severe icing conditions make runways and aircraft unsafe for operation and force authorities to shut down one of Europe’s key transport hubs.
Storm Leonardo hit Spain and Portugal on Tuesday, forcing more than 11,000 people from their homes, as a man in Portugal died after his car was swept away by floodwaters and a second body was found in Malaga.
An attacker opened fire at the gates of a Shiite Muslim mosque in Islamabad on Friday before detonating a suicide bomb that killed at least 31 people in the deadliest assault of its kind in the capital in more than a decade.
Ukraine and Russia carried out a rare exchange of 314 prisoners on Thursday as U.S.-brokered talks in Abu Dhabi closed with a pledge to resume negotiations soon, offering one of the clearest signs of diplomatic movement in months.
The United States and Iran are set to hold nuclear talks in Oman on Friday after Tehran requested a change of venue and a strictly bilateral, nuclear-focused format, a move that is fuelling questions about Iran’s negotiating strategy.
Russia launched a large-scale overnight attack on Ukraine’s energy system early on Saturday (7 January), hitting power generation and distribution facilities with more than 400 drones and around 40 missiles, Ukrainian officials have said.
Start your day informed with AnewZ Morning Brief: here are the top news stories for the 7th of February, covering the latest developments you need to know.
U.S. and Ukrainian negotiators have discussed an ambitious goal of reaching a peace agreement between Russia and Ukraine by March, though the timeline is widely viewed as unrealistic due to deep disagreements over territory, according to multiple sources familiar with the talks.
At least 31 people have been killed and scores wounded in a suicide bombing at a mosque in Pakistan’s capital, Islamabad, during Friday prayers, prompting widespread international condemnation.
Lebanese Army Commander Gen. Rodolphe Haykal met with senior U.S. officials in Washington, D.C., this week to discuss strengthening military and security cooperation, regional developments and the challenges facing Lebanon, the Lebanese army said on Friday.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment