In other news of the day: Covid-19 infection peaks for Chinese government. Premier and government in Taiwan resign. Ukrainian deminers trained by Cambodian colleagues. Clash over appointment of judges in India. Russia: mercenary leader Wagner attacks Putin's administration.
MIDDLE EAST-USA
The United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, Israel and the United States say they are ready to expand and deepen the Abraham Accords. This was stated yesterday by the four countries' national security officials during a multilateral meeting. Signed in 2020, the understandings led to the normalisation of relations between the Israeli state and the two Gulf monarchies.
CHINA
The Chinese government said that Covid-19 infections peaked on the eve of the Lunar New Year, which falls tomorrow. While millions of Chinese are travelling for the holidays, there is a big jump in hospitalisations in the country, according to the World Health Organisation.
TAIWAN
Premier Su Tseng-chang and his government have resigned, paving the way for a reshuffle called for by President Tsai Ing-wen. The executive's step aside comes just a few months after the ruling party's defeat in local elections.
CAMBODIA
Ukrainian deminers are being trained by Cambodian colleagues. The learning tour is underway in the eastern province of Battambang. Due to a decades-long civil conflict, which only ended in 1998, Cambodia is one of the most mined countries in the world.
INDIA
In a case similar to Israel, the Indian government says it wants to change the criteria for selecting judges, giving the executive more say. Magistrates and lawyers opposed the announced changes.
RUSSIA
The head of the mercenary company Wagner, Evgenij Prigožin, lashed out at members of the presidential administration, 'full of people who only want to lose the war and have the Americans come to Russia to put things in order'. He also called for the closure of YouTube in Russia so that 'Russians only watch what is Russian and pro-Russian'.
KAZAKHSTAN-CHINA
A group of relatives of Kazakh prisoners in Xinjiang (western China) gathered in front of the Chinese embassy in Astana, led by activists Baybolat Kunbolatuly and Akikat Kaliolla, who claimed that 'the embassy has been taking us for fools for too long, it is time for them to free our relatives and friends, at least tell us where our mothers and brothers are'.