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This photo taken on December 2, 2025 shows Tokyo Electric Power Company’s Kashiwazaki-Kariwa Nuclear Power Plant Unit 6 in Kashiwazaki, Niigata Prefecture. The world’s biggest nuclear…
The UAE’s president has accepted an invitation to join US President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace”, the foreign ministry said yesterday, the body meant to oversee post-war reconstruction in Gaza. “Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, has accepted the invitation from the US to join the Board of Peace,” the ministry said in a statement. Emirati Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed said: “The UAE’s decision reflects the importance of fully implementing President Donald J Trump’s 20-point peace plan for Gaza, which is critical for the realisation of the legitimate rights of the Palestinian people.” Source link
Title challenger Gauff also advanceS, CanadIAN Auger-Aliassime exits after cramping up Novak Djokovic safely negotiated the first hurdle in his quest for a 25th Grand Slam title at the Australian Open yesterday as women’s title challengers Iga Swiatek and Coco Gauff also eased into the second round on day two of the championships. There were straightforward victories for Daniil Medvedev, local hope Alex De Minaur as well as top Americans Amanda Anisimova and Jessica Pegula in front of another bumper crowd of 100,763 fans at Melbourne Park. Djokovic was last out on the Rod Laver Arena showcourt where he has won 10 of his major titles and ensured there would be no late finish with a vintage 6-3 6-2 6-2 victory over Pedro Martinez.Martinez was eight years old back in 2006 when Djokovic last lost in the opening round of a Grand Slam and the Spaniard was unable to put sufficient pressure on the Serbian fourth seed to earn more than sympathetic applause for holding his serve. “What can I say? I like the sound of it. Centurion is pretty nice,” Djokovic said after sealing his 100th Australian Open win in his first tour-level match since November.“It always feels good at the beginning of the tournament. Let’s see how I progress. Tonight’s performance was definitely great, I cannot complain about anything … let’s hope for the best.” Djokovic, 38, was not the only member of the men’s old guard to progress with 2014 champion Stan Wawrinka, 40, and 37-year-old Marin Cilic, who won the US Open in the same year, also rolling back the years with first-round victories. “I know I’m not as good as I was before,” wildcard Wawrinka said after kicking off his final season of Grand Slam tennis with a four-set win over Laslo Djere. “That’s normal. I’m getting old. But I’m still happy with what I’m doing, always trying to push my own limit, always trying to be better.” SWIATEK BATTLES INTO SECOND ROUND Even with six Grand Slam titles already in the bag, Swiatek is probably nearer the start than the end of her career and she opened her bid for a first Australian Open crown with a 7-6(5) 6-3 win over Chinese qualifier Yuan Yue. The 24-year-old Pole was far from convincing, however, particularly in the opening set as an inspired Yuan overwhelmed her at times with a relentlessly aggressive game.“I guess there were some moments where I felt great, but the start of the match wasn’t that perfect,” said the second seed. “I’m happy that I worked through this and could finish in two sets.”Gauff is also bidding for a maiden title in Melbourne and looked every bit the Grand Slam champion as she thumped Kamilla Rakhimova 6-2 6-3 in the first match of the day on the main showcourt. Anisimova, who downed Simona Waltert 6-3 6-2, and Pegula, a 6-2 6-1 winner over Anastasia Zakharova, also wasted little time in breezing into the second round in the vanguard of a strong American challenge in the women’s draw this year. Their compatriot Madison Keys begins her title defence along with men’s champion Jannik Sinner today. After record crowds crammed into Melbourne Park on the opening day on Sunday, the venue was heaving again yesterday as fans streamed through the gates under cloudy skies.It was still steamy during the day, however, and seventh seed Felix Auger-Aliassime retired with severe cramp after falling 3-6 6-4 6-4 behind to Portugal’s Nuno Borges. “I want to be on the court competing with my opponent,” said the Canadian, who reached the US Open semi-finals last year.“I don’t want to be just standing there, you know, like a punching bag. So there’s no point.” Three-times finalist and former world number one Medvedev may have been quietly cheering at Auger-Aliassime’s exit as he could well have met the Canadian in the fourth round. After three consecutive first-round exits at the Grand Slams, the Russian was relieved to pass a 7-5 6-2 7-6(2) test against Jesper de Jong at Margaret Court Arena.Originally drawn to play injured former Wimbledon finalist Matteo Berrettini, sixth-seeded Australian De Minaur instead faced lucky loser Mackenzie McDonald and thrashed the American 6-2 6-3 6-3.Frenchman Alexandre Muller later denied fans more local success to cheer when he outlasted Alexei Popyrin in the sort of marathon five-setter that turns John Cain Arena into a bear pit in the early rounds at Melbourne Park. Source link
Cebu City truly earns its title as the “Queen City of the South,” showcasing breathtaking sights and a rich, vibrant culture. Cebu, known as the Queen City of the South, is set to take centre stage in regional tourism as the Philippines prepares to host the ASEAN Tourism Forum (ATF) 2026 from January 28 to 30, 2026. The prestigious event will bring together tourism leaders, policymakers, and industry stakeholders from across Southeast Asia, reaffirming Cebu’s growing stature as a premier meetings and events destination. One of the key highlights of ATF 2026 will be the National Tourism Organisation (NTO) briefings, scheduled for January 28 and 29. These sessions will feature updates and strategic presentations from ASEAN member states, including Timor-Leste, the region’s newest member. Delegates can look forward to in-depth insights into new tourism developments, emerging destinations, and collaborative initiatives shaping the future of travel in Southeast Asia. The forum will also showcase a vibrant programme of high-level official functions and networking events. These include a Hosted Luncheon by Tourism Malaysia on January 28 at the Dusit Thani Mactan Cebu Resort, the ASEANTA Excellence Awards Night, and the ATF 2026 Opening Ceremony hosted by the Tourism Promotions Board (TPB) Philippines. Other highlights include a Reception and Dinner hosted by the Singapore Tourism Board, welcoming delegates to ATF 2027, as well as the ASEAN Tourism Standard Awards and Closing Ceremony at the NUSTAR Convention Centre. “As a key meeting point for the travel industry in Southeast Asia, TRAVEX plays an important role in strengthening partnerships and driving growth,” said Maria Margarita Montemayor Nograles, Chief Operating Officer of the Tourism Promotions Board Philippines. “Hosting this event is a responsibility we value highly, and we are committed to creating a dynamic platform that highlights the depth, connectivity, and momentum of tourism across ASEAN.” With its forward-looking theme, state-of-the-art venues, and a robust programme of business, networking, and recognition events, ATF TRAVEX 2026 is poised to become a major milestone for ASEAN tourism. The event is expected to further strengthen regional collaboration and reinforce a shared vision as Southeast Asia navigates the future of sustainable and inclusive tourism. The ASEAN Tourism Forum is a long-standing cooperative initiative aimed at promoting ASEAN as a single tourism destination. Hosted on a rotational basis among member countries, ATF serves as a powerful platform for ASEAN nations to enhance their global tourism profile through meaningful collaboration, driving growth while preserving the region’s rich heritage, identity, and culture for future generations. Related Story Source link
Israel demolished structures inside the UN Palestinian refugee agency’s East Jerusalem compound yesterday after seizing the site last year, in an act condemned by the agency as a violation of international law.Surrounded by Israeli forces, bulldozers razed several large buildings and other smaller structures inside the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) compound, where dozens of agency staff once worked. UNRWA, which Israeli authorities accuse of bias, has not used the building since the start of last year after Israel ordered it to vacate all its premises and cease its operations. UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned Israel’s action yesterday.“The secretary-general urges the government of Israel to immediately cease the demolition of the UNRWA Sheikh Jarrah compound, and to return and restore the compound and other UNRWA premises to the United Nations without delay,” deputy UN spokesperson Farhan Haq told reporters. A spokesperson for UNRWA, Jonathan Fowler, said Israeli forces entered the compound around 7am (0500GMT), forced out the compound’s security guards and then brought in bulldozers to begin demolishing buildings inside. UNRWA chief Philippe Lazzarini condemned the demolition in a statement on X, calling it “a new level of open and deliberate defiance of international law”.He said it was the latest in a series of Israeli actions against UNRWA, including a raid on a medical clinic this month and a plan to cut power and water to UNRWA facilities in the coming weeks. Some former UNRWA staff said the structures demolished yesterday had been used to store aid for the Israeli-occupied West Bank and the Gaza Strip.“The destruction by the Israeli occupation is another message to the world that Israel is the only country that can demolish international law and get away with it,” said Hakam Shahwan, former UNRWA chief of staff in East Jerusalem. Israel’s parliament passed a law in October 2024 banning the agency from operating in the country and prohibiting officials from having contact with the agency.Israel’s far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir posted a video on social media standing in front of the UNRWA compound as a bulldozer began to tear it down. In his statement, Lazzarini said that Israel had conducted “a large-scale disinformation campaign” against UNRWA.Israel’s Jerusalem municipality raided the compound last year, saying UNRWA had failed to pay property taxes after multiple warnings. UNRWA said the agency had no debts to the municipality.Meanwhile, Palestinian officials and civil institutions yesterday called out the takeover of the UNRWA premises by the Israeli occupation. In a statement, the institutions slammed the razing operations carried out by Israeli bulldozers at the main UNRWA building.The statement deemed the razing and raiding operations, as well as the displaying of Israeli might, as a move intended to eliminate the agency’s operations and the right of Palestinian refugees to return under UN Resolution 194.These operations are part of the ongoing episodes by the Israeli occupation targeting Palestinian tents in the northern West Bank, the statement acknowledged.It called on the world to spring into action to halt these crimes and amplify the voice of the UN, which founded the agency and has been operating under its umbrella for 77 years. Source link
Packed crowds turned out to see Alexandra Eala at the Australian Open Monday but the Philippines trailblazer was unable to deliver for her adoring fans in a first-round defeat, admitting it was “a bit overwhelming”. The 20-year-old was playing in the main draw at Melbourne Park for the first time and even practice sessions were mobbed by large numbers of her followers. She stormed to the first set against Alycia Parks in front of a full house at the intimate court six. But the lower-ranked American fought back in front of the fiercely pro-Eala crowd to win 0-6, 6-3, 6-2. The umpire had to repeatedly call for spectators to quieten down as they tried, unsuccessfully, to will Eala to victory. Hundreds more Philippines fans watched on nearby big screens and waved their national flag. Chants of “let’s go Alexandra” frequently rang out, then hush descended when her American opponent sealed the match. Eala was rushed from the court afterwards surrounded by as many as a dozen security guards. “It was so heart-warming,” she said of the hero’s welcome she received all week. “That’s one of the things that makes a loss like today a little bit harder – I know a lot of people were rooting for me.” Eala, who has put Philippines tennis on the map, admitted however that some of the attention had been too much. “It’s a process to take it all in. I think this week definitely there were elements that were a bit overwhelming, especially during my practices,” she said. “I didn’t expect that many people to be there. So it’s a learning process.” The 49th-ranked Eala has risen fast in the past 12 months. She trains at the Rafael Nadal Academy in Mallorca and broke into the top 100 last year following her shock run to the semi-finals in Miami, where she beat world number two Iga Swiatek. In August at the US Open, she carved out a piece of tennis history, becoming the first player from the Philippines to win a Grand Slam singles match. “I’m still young, so learning how to deal with all of this attention, but then at the same time being grateful,” Eala said after her loss to the 99th-ranked Parks. Although disappointed, Eala said just being at the first major of the year was significant for her nation. “I guess this is one of the moments that I can reflect on what this means for Philippine tennis,” she said. “I’m the only Filipina in the draw this year. I’m the only Filipina that’s ever been in the draw, I think. So there are positives to take away.” Source link
On Tuesday, as ESPNcrinfo reported, the PCB sent a letter to the International Cricket Council (ICC) and its board members, backing the Bangladesh Cricket Board’s (BCB)…
Al Shamal players rejoice after one of their four goals against Al Kharaitiyat at the Grand Hamad Stadium Tuesday. Al Shamal scored a crucial 4-1 win over Al Kharaitiyat in their Round 10 match of the QSL Cup 2025-26 season at the Grand Hamad Stadium Tuesday. The victory fetched Al Shamal three valuable points and took their tally to 15 while Al Kharaitiyat remained on 13 points. Tamer Seyam, Mohammed Waad, Omar Ali and Adam Ounas were on target for Al Shamal, while Rodrigo Tabata (Penalty) scored Al Kharaitiyat’s only goal. Al Waab 2-1 Al Shahania A stoppage time goal saw Al Waab edge Al Shahania 2-1 in their Round 10 match of the QSL Cup at the Suhaim Bin Hamad Stadium. The important win saw Al Waab take their tally to 18 points while Al Shahania remained on 17 points. Abdulrahman Mohamed and Baha Faisal were on target for Al Waab while Artur George scored for Al Shahania. Al Shahania also lost a player in the 63rd minute after being flashed with a red card. Al Markhiya and Wakrah in 1-1 draw Earlier, Al Markhiya and Al Wakrah shared a 1-1 draw at the Saoud Bin Abdulrahman Stadium. While Y Njie scored for Al Markhiya in the opening half, R Burkan equalised for Al Wakrah in the second session. Al Markhiya moved to 18 points with the draw, while Al Wakrah’s tally moved to 6 points. Related Story Source link
Tens of thousands of Senegal football fans lined the streets of Dakar Tuesday as the Lions of Teranga held a victory parade to celebrate their triumph in the Africa Cup of Nations final against Morocco. The players and coaches brandished their trophy from an open-top bus which inched its way through immense crowds across the capital, winding towards the country’s presidential palace. As the players travelled the final stretch of their journey along the city’s oceanside highway, the Corniche, fans walked and sometimes ran alongside the bus, with throngs of people lining the sidewalks. Downtown was overcome by a fever pitch of almost deafening noise – revving engines, horns, vuvuzelas and shouting – as the players neared the palace, where they will be officially received. In the morning, thousands had gathered at the parade’s starting point in Patte d’Oie, a working-class neighbourhood across town, wearing team jerseys, chanting, whistling and blowing vuvuzelas. All along the route old and young, men and women turned out decked in the country’s green, yellow and red colours, sometimes watching on from buildings and bridges, or even climbing on top of cars and billboards. Security forces were also present in large numbers, including anti-riot police. The Senegal team made its way across the capital after arriving on a special flight from Morocco shortly before midnight on Monday, where they were greeted by President Bassirou Diomaye Faye, Prime Minister Ousmane Sonko and other members of the government. Senegal won the Africa Cup of Nations when they beat hosts Morocco 1-0 in a chaotic final in Rabat on Sunday that saw the eventual champions storm off the pitch late in the game. “I wouldn’t have missed this moment for the world,” 26-year-old fan Doudou Thiam told AFP from the parade’s sidelines in the Bourguiba neighbourhood, wearing a Senegal jersey. “The Lions are our pride and they deserve all the honours. Even if it meant staying here all day, I would have done it”, he said. Din of victory A ruckus of whistles and horns has been almost constant since Senegal’s victory on Sunday night, when fans flooded the streets, filling the air with honking, fireworks and the deafening roar of vuvuzelas. The win marked Senegal’s second title, after their 2022 victory over Egypt in Cameroon. It was the team’s third final in just the last four editions. Hortense Kenny brought her five-year-old child to Patte d’Oie to watch the parade. “The Lions made an entire nation proud, beating the host country in those circumstances,” she told AFP, referring to the end of the match. “Now, all that’s left is to win the World Cup. With Sadio Mane, anything is possible,” she said, referencing the team’s biggest star. His role as peacemaker during the final – he was the one who stayed on the pitch and persuaded his teammates to return – has been widely praised. Nearby Abdulai Sy, a 49-year-old, told AFP he felt personally touched by the victory which gave him a “big sense of pride to also be Senegalese”. Controversial win Tuesday’s crowd seemed unphased by a cloud of controversy surrounding their team’s decision to storm off the pitch late in normal time in protest at a penalty awarded to Morocco. Prompted by Mane, they returned to the pitch and an attempted ‘Panenka’ penalty from Morocco’s Brahim Diaz was easily saved by Senegal’s goalkeeper before Pape Gueye won the game with a superb shot in extra time that stunned the Moroccan crowd. The Moroccan FA said it had referred the incidents, including protests from Senegal players and fans, to the Confederation of African Football and FIFA. Far from Morocco, football’s lucrative business side had trickled down even to the streets of Dakar Tuesday. Amath Ndiaye, a 36-year-old street vendor who usually sells tissues, told AFP he has switched to hawking jerseys, flags, vuvuzelas and whistles for the duration of AFCON and the celebratory aftermath. Tuesday, he was basking in the wisdom of his decision. “I’m doing well,” he told AFP from Patte d’Oie, near the joyous crowd decked out in patriotic Senegalese gear and waving flags. Source link
A minibus carrying students to school collided with a truck south of Johannesburg yesterday, killing 13 pupils, South African police said. It was the latest in a string of deadly crashes in a country whose modern road network is undermined by rampant speeding, reckless driving and poorly maintained vehicles. The crash happened near the industrial city of Vanderbijlpark, about 60kms south of Johannesburg. Police said the driver of the minibus appeared to have lost control while attempting to overtake other vehicles. The toll rose to 13 after an injured child died of injuries, the provincial education department said in a statement. Several children were also badly hurt. Authorities did not immediately release the ages of the children but provincial education minister Matome Chiloane said they were from primary schools, where pupils are aged from six years. Source link