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World News / International

Trump widens diplomatic outreach for Gaza ‘Board of Peace’

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Trump widens

US President Donald Trump has announced the formation of a Board of Peace to manage interim governance and oversight of state affairs in Gaza.

According to international news agencies, the board will be directly supervised by President Trump, with a majority of its members expected to be Americans.

However, President Trump has also formally invited Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to join the Gaza Board of Peace.

 The Turkish Presidency confirmed that President Erdogan has received an official letter offering him the role of a founding member of the board.

In his letter, President Trump emphasized Turkey’s potential role in maintaining the Gaza ceasefire, ensuring peace, overseeing interim governance, and contributing to reconstruction efforts.

President Erdogan has not yet responded to the proposal and is currently consulting with his close aides. Although Erdogan maintains cordial ties with President Trump, he is known as one of Israel’s strongest critics and has repeatedly described Israel’s actions in Gaza as crimes against humanity.

Due to this stance, Israel has previously opposed any active Turkish role in Gaza-related affairs.

In addition to Turkey, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi has also received an invitation to join the Board of Peace. Egypt’s foreign minister stated during a press conference in Cairo that the proposal is under review and a decision will be made after considering all aspects.

The White House said the Board of Peace is being established following the fragile ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.

The board’s mandate includes overseeing temporary governance in Gaza, restoring security and law and order, ensuring fair distribution of humanitarian aid, supervising reconstruction, supporting economic recovery, and preparing a framework for Gaza’s future political administration.

Indonesia plane crash leaves no survivors

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Indonesia plane

A passenger aircraft crashed in Indonesia, killing all 11 people on board, international news agencies reported.

The small ATR 42-500 aircraft, operated by Indonesia Air Transport (IAT), was being used for a domestic flight when the tragic incident occurred.

The plane had taken off from Yogyakarta and was heading toward South Sulawesi when contact with air traffic control was suddenly lost shortly after departure.

Communication was cut off while the aircraft was flying near the mountainous Liang area of Maros district, where weather conditions were also reported to be unfavorable.

Preliminary information suggests that during the approach phase, the aircraft was not responding to air traffic control instructions, after which the signal was lost.

Search and rescue teams immediately launched an operation involving helicopters, drones, and ground forces. During the search, debris and signs of small fires were spotted in several locations.

Rescue efforts faced major challenges due to the rugged and mountainous terrain.

The aircraft was carrying eight crew members and three passengers, all of whom were killed at the scene.

The plane was part of the Indonesia Air Transport fleet and was also used for maritime surveillance missions.

Witnesses in nearby areas reported hearing explosion-like sounds; however, the exact cause of the crash has not yet been determined.

Indonesia, an archipelago consisting of thousands of islands, heavily relies on air travel as a primary mode of transportation.

Trump names members of Gaza Peace Board amid Middle East plan

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Trump names

WASHINGTON / GAZA: Under US President Donald Trump’s Middle East peace plan, the governance of Gaza will be managed by a newly formed Gaza Peace Board, replacing Hamas’s administrative role.

 The board will include international leaders and experts to oversee transitional governance and implement the peace plan.

According to global news agencies, President Trump announced the members of the Gaza Peace Board, marking the second phase of the Gaza peace initiative. Trump has appointed himself as chairman of the board, taking responsibility for guiding transitional governance and advancing the peace plan.

Notable International Members

Sir Tony Blair, former UK Prime Minister (1997–2007), will serve as an international board member.

US Senator Marco Rubio, a close Trump ally, has been appointed as a member to play a key role in administrative oversight.

Jared Kushner, Trump’s son-in-law and special envoy, is included as a board member.

Steve Witkoff, Trump’s special envoy for Middle East peace, will also participate in the board.

Ajay Banga, President of the World Bank, will provide guidance on international financial support and investment strategies.

Mark Rowan, CEO of Apollo Global Management, will handle economic development, investment, and financial assistance matters.

Robert Gabirel, US Deputy National Security Advisor, will serve as security adviser for strategic and security affairs in Gaza.

Nikole Miladinov, former Bulgarian diplomat and UN Special Representative for the Middle East, will act as a liaison between the board and international committees.

Palestinian Leadership

Dr. Ali Shath, a prominent Palestinian technocrat, has been appointed head of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza, tasked with daily administration, restoring essential services, and rebuilding institutions.

Executive Board and International Cooperation

An additional Gaza Executive Board has been formed, including international Muslim and Israeli figures:

Hakan Fidan, Turkish Foreign Minister

Ali Al-Thawadi, Qatari diplomat

Gen. Hassan Rashid, Egypt’s intelligence chief

Reem Al-Hashimi, UAE Minister

Yakir Gabe, Israeli businessman

Segerdo Kaag, former Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands

This executive board will assist the Peace Board in governance, service delivery, and reconstruction efforts in Gaza.

England beat Pakistan by 37 runs in ICC under-19 World Cup clash

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England beat Pakistan

HARARE: England defeated Pakistan by 37 runs in the ICC Men’s Under-19 World Cup match played in Harare.

Chasing a target of 211, Pakistan were bowled out for 173 runs in the 47th over. Captain Farhan Yousuf top-scored for Pakistan with a fighting 65 runs, while Momin Qamar remained unbeaten on 18.

Other Pakistani batters failed to build partnerships, with Huzifa Ahsan (17), Abdul Subhan (14), Ahmed Hussain (12), Sameer Minhas (10), Umar Zaib (10) and Muhammad Shayan (7) making modest contributions.

England’s bowling attack was led by James Minto, Alex Green, and Ralphie Albert, who claimed two wickets each, while Manny Lamsden and Farhan Ahmed picked up one wicket apiece.

Earlier, England were bowled out for 210 runs in 46.5 overs after Pakistan opted to field first. Caleb Falconer starred with 66 runs, supported by Ben Dawkins (33) and Ralphie Albert (25).

For Pakistan, Ahmed Hussain took three wickets, while Ali Raza, Momin Qamar, and Abdul Subhan grabbed two wickets each.

In other matches of the tournament, Australia defeated Ireland by eight wickets, while Afghanistan beat South Africa by 28 runs to make a winning start to their campaign.

‘Chhota Cheeku’ goes viral after heartwarming meeting with Virat Kohli

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‘Chhota Cheeku’

Indian cricket star Virat Kohli’s lookalikes have often gone viral on social media, but this time the spotlight has shifted to an unexpectedly adorable figure — a young child whose striking resemblance to the batting icon has captured widespread attention.

Unlike previous instances featuring adult doppelgangers, this viral moment features an innocent child who fans have affectionately nicknamed “Chhota Cheeku.”

The heartwarming scene emerged ahead of India’s one-day international against New Zealand in Vadodara, where a photo of Kohli standing alongside the young fan quickly spread across social platforms.

The child was later identified as Gurvit Uttam, hailing from Panchkula, Haryana. In a recent interview, Gurvit shared details of his unforgettable encounter, revealing that Kohli smiled upon seeing him and lovingly called him “Chhota Cheeku.”

According to Gurvit, he was cheering loudly from the stands, chanting “Virat, Virat,” when Kohli noticed him and gestured that he would come over. Moments later, the cricket superstar fulfilled that promise, creating a magical memory for the young fan.

Gurvit further recalled that Kohli even called Indian captain Rohit Sharma over, jokingly saying, “Look, my duplicate is sitting here,” drawing laughter and delight from those present.

Virat Kohli is popularly known by his childhood nickname “Cheeku,” and fans were quick to appreciate the symbolic passing on of the title to his young lookalike. In a video shared on Instagram, Gurvit revealed that he also plays cricket, bats right-handed like Kohli, and considers the Indian great his biggest inspiration.

While Kohli’s lookalikes have surfaced many times before, ‘Chhota Cheeku’ has carved out a special place in fans’ hearts — not just for his resemblance, but for his innocence and a once-in-a-lifetime meeting with his hero.

Australia closes 4.7 million social media accounts following under-16 ban

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Australia

Canberra: Following Australia’s groundbreaking ban on social media use for children under 16, platforms have reportedly closed 4.7 million accounts belonging to minors across the country.

The action comes just one month after the law came into effect on 10 December 2025, reflecting the swift and wide-ranging impact of the regulation.

According to Al Arabiya Urdu, Australia’s eSafety agency confirmed that social media companies have removed nearly 4.7 million accounts to comply with the new law.

Reuters reported that some platforms began deleting accounts weeks before the official enforcement date, in anticipation of the restrictions.

These figures represent the first official data on compliance, indicating that companies are taking serious measures to adhere to the law.

Violations of the law could result in fines of up to AUD 49.5 million (USD 33 million) for companies, though children and their parents are not held responsible.

The total number of removed accounts has exceeded earlier estimates based on population data. Previously, Meta disclosed that it had removed approximately 550,000 accounts of minors from Instagram, Facebook, and Threads.

Israeli airstrikes in Gaza kill 12 Palestinians including Hamas commander

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Israeli airstrikes

Gaza City: At least 12 Palestinians, including a senior Hamas military commander, were killed in Israeli airstrikes in Gaza over the past 24 hours, Al Jazeera reported. Another 18 people were injured during the attacks.

Israeli authorities confirmed that Mohammed Al-Houli, a commander of Hamas’ military wing Al-Qassam Brigades, was among those killed.

Hamas condemned the strikes, calling them a “clear violation of the ceasefire agreement”. The group said the attacks demonstrated Israel’s failure to adhere to the truce and accused it of attempting to weaken the agreement to restart hostilities against Gaza’s population.

Since the ceasefire was implemented in October 2023, over 400 Palestinians have been killed. Israeli operations have destroyed buildings in more than half of Gaza, displacing over 2 million people, many of whom now live in temporary shelters or damaged buildings.

According to Gaza’s Ministry of Health, since the start of Israel’s genocidal war in October 2023, at least 71,455 Palestinians have been killed.

Saudi King honors 200 organ donors with royal medals

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Saudi King

Riyadh: King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud has approved the awarding of King Abdulaziz Medals (Third Class) to 200 citizens who donated their organs, according to the Saudi Press Agency.

Saudi media reported that the recognition aims to appreciate the humanitarian spirit of organ donors and to encourage other citizens to consider organ donation.

The royal honors highlight the kingdom’s commitment to promoting social responsibility and compassion among its citizens.

500 million fans apply for FIFA World Cup 2026 tickets

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500 million fans

The upcoming FIFA World Cup 2026 has shattered all ticket demand records, with football fans around the globe submitting over 500 million requests for match tickets.

The football World Cup is one of the few major global sporting events where attending a match is a dream for passionate fans. The excitement for the 2026 edition—co-hosted by the United States, Mexico, and Canada—has reached unprecedented levels. Ticket applications were received between Thursday, December 11, 2025, and Tuesday, January 13, 2026.

During the random selection draw phase, more than half a billion requests were submitted from fans across all 211 FIFA member associations, setting a new benchmark in ticket demand for sports events.

Fans will be informed via email by February 5 whether their ticket requests have been successful. The host countries—USA, Mexico, and Canada—are among the top applicants, with significant demand also coming from Germany, England, Brazil, Spain, Portugal, Argentina, and Colombia.

Over the 33-day application window, an average of 15 million ticket requests were submitted daily, highlighting the massive global interest in the first-ever 48-team FIFA World Cup.

FIFA President Gianni Infantino thanked fans worldwide for this overwhelming response, noting that demand exceeded expectations.

Interestingly, the most popular match during this sales phase was scheduled for Saturday, June 27, in Miami, between Colombia and Portugal. Other top-requested games include Mexico vs. South Korea on Thursday, June 18, in Guadalajara, and the final on Sunday, July 19, in New York.

Bangladesh Premier League match postponed as players stage boycott

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Bangladesh Premier League

DHAKA: Today’s Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match between Chattogram Royals and Noakhali Express in Mirpur, Dhaka, was called off after players staged a boycott, failing to appear at the venue for the toss.

The boycott comes in response to a statement by Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) Director Nazmul Islam, which prompted players to threaten a halt to all cricketing activities.

Following the statement, Bangladeshi cricketers announced they would boycott matches across all formats unless Nazmul Islam resigned from his position. The players’ action has disrupted today’s fixture and raised concerns over the smooth conduct of the ongoing BPL tournament.

The Bangladesh Cricket Board has yet to issue a detailed response regarding the players’ demands and the rescheduling of the postponed match.

On the other hand, Bangladesh Cricket Board (BCB) has removed Director Nazmul Islam from his position following controversial remarks that led to a player boycott of cricket activities, including today’s Bangladesh Premier League (BPL) match.

Nazmul Islam, who served as Chairman of the BCB Finance Committee, had made statements criticizing the Board’s participation in the ICC World Cup, claiming that the Board gained little financially while players would lose match fees if Bangladesh skipped tournaments. His remarks sparked outrage among cricketers, who subsequently threatened to boycott all formats of cricket until his resignation.

In an official statement, the BCB said that after reviewing the recent developments, the Board’s President decided to release Nazmul Islam in the best interest of the sport. The decision was made in accordance with the BCB constitution, and the Finance Committee will now be chaired temporarily by the BCB President.

The Board expressed confidence that Bangladeshi cricketers will continue to play professionally and with dedication, ensuring the smooth conduct of the BPL and other cricketing activities.

Earlier, the player boycott had forced the postponement of today’s BPL match between Chattogram Royals and Noakhali Express, highlighting the urgency of resolving the crisis.