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220 MPs call for Starmer to recognise Palestinian state

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More than a third of MPs have signed a letter to Sir Keir Starmer calling for the UK to recognise a Palestinian state.

Some 220 MPs from nine political parties have backed the call  – more than half of them Labour – arguing that UK recognition would send a “powerful” message and a vital step toward a two-state solution.

The letter piles pressure on the prime minister after France committed to recognising a Palestinian statehood within months.

In an earlier statement after an emergency phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron and Germany’s Friedrich Merz, Sir Keir said recognising Palestinian statehood would have to be part of a “wider plan which ultimately results in a two-state solution”.

In his statement, Sir Keir said: “Alongside our closest allies, I am working on a pathway to peace in the region, focused on the practical solutions that will make a real difference to the lives of those that are suffering in this war.

“That pathway will set out the concrete steps needed to turn the ceasefire so desperately needed, into a lasting peace.

“Recognition of a Palestinian state has to be one of those steps. I am unequivocal about that.  “But it must be part of a wider plan which ultimately results in a two-state solution and lasting security for Palestinians and Israelis.”

On Friday evening, Sir Keir said the government would “pull every lever” to get food and life saving support to Palestinians, and evacuate children “who need urgent medical assistance”.

“This humanitarian catastrophe must end,” he added in a post on X. He also said in a video statement the same day that the UK would play a role in air-dropping aid to Palestinians, following Israel’s acceptance of the plan.

“We are already working urgently with the Jordanian authorities to get British aid on to planes and into Gaza,” he said.

A joint statement from the leaders of UK, France and Germany, following their call does not mention Palestinian statehood.

But it said all three countries “stand ready to take further action to support an immediate ceasefire and a political process that leads to lasting security and peace for Israelis, Palestinians and the entire region”.

The statement is critical of the Israeli government, demanding an end to aid restrictions and warning the “humanitarian catastrophe that we are witnessing in Gaza must end now”.

The statement also stresses Hamas must be disarmed and “have no role in the future of Gaza”.

The letter comes after the UK and 27 other countries condemned the “drip feeding of aid and the inhumane killing of civilians” seeking food and water in Gaza.

Israel, which controls the entry of all supplies into the Palestinian territory, has repeatedly said that there is no siege and blames Hamas for cases of malnutrition.

Israel’s foreign ministry rejected the countries’ statement, saying it was “disconnected from reality and sends the wrong message to Hamas”.

According to the UN human rights office, more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed by the Israeli military while trying to get food aid over the past two months.

Israel has said its troops have only fired warning shots and that they do not intentionally shoot civilians.

The letter has been signed by 131 Labour MPs, including senior figures like former minister Liam Byrne and committee chair Ruth Cadbury.

Lib Dem Leader Sir Ed Davey, former Tory minister Kit Malthouse and Conservative Sir Edward Leigh – Parliament’s longest serving MP – have also signed.

SNP, Greens, Plaid Cymru, SDLP and independents were among those who signed the letter.

The letter argued that a Parliament has held a “cross-party consensus for decades” on recognising Palestinian statehood as part of a “two-state solution”.

While recognition alone would not end the suffering in Gaza, “British recognition of Palestine would be particularly powerful” given its history in the region, the MPs say.

Labour MP Sarah Champion, who chairs the international development select committee and who organised the letter, said a two-state solution “remains the only viable proposal to secure a lasting peace for the region”.

“Recognition would send a powerful symbolic message that we support the rights of the Palestinian people, that they are not alone and they need to maintain hope that there is a route that leads to lasting peace and security for both the Israeli and the Palestinian people,” she added.

Last month, about 60 MPs reportedly signed a letter to Foreign Secretary David Lammy, and a motion in Parliament  was signed by 110 MPs.

In 2014, the House of Commons passed a non-binding motion calling on the government to recognise a Palestinian state alongside Israel, which was backed by an overwhelming majority of MPs.

Most countries – about 139 in all – formally recognise a Palestinian state, although many European nations and the United States say they will only do so as part of moves towards a long-term resolution to the conflict.

Spain, Ireland and Norway formally took the step last year,   hoping to exert diplomatic pressure to secure a ceasefire in Gaza.

At the United Nations (UN), Palestinian representatives have limited rights to participate in UN activity, and the territory is also recognised by various international organisations, including the Arab League.

Sceptics argue recognition would largely be a symbolic gesture unless questions over the leadership and extent of a Palestinian state are addressed first.

(BBC)



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The RAPP sheet: Steve Smith, Daryl Mitchell, Umesh Yadav among over 1300 players

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Smith headlines a star-studded overseas list available to come in as replacements if needed [Cricbuzz]
RAPP may not exactly be a popular term in the Indian Premier League (IPL) lexicon, but it is a seminal one in the post-auction activity for the franchises. The Registered Available Player Pool or RAPP is a list from which franchises can pick replacement players.

The BCCI recently shared a long list of 1,307 players with the franchises. The list includes players who had enrolled for the auction and did not withdraw from the process – in short, this is the list of players who remained unsold at the December 16 auction in Abu Dhabi.

Steve Smith, Reece Topley, Jamie Smith and Jonny Bairstow are among the names who could be available as replacements for franchises. Even Daryl Mitchell, a perennial tormentor of the Indian team in the internationals, features on the list – No 98 on the sheet, with a base price of Rs 2 crore. He was the Player of the Series in the recent ODI series between India and New Zealand.

The capped Indians include Mayank Agarwal, KS Bharat, Deepak Hooda, Navdeep Saini, Chetan Sakariya, Sandeep Warrier and Umesh Yadav – all with a base price of Rs 75 lakh each.

As per BCCI instructions, a franchise cannot sign a player from the RAPP for less than his auction reserve price. Normally, franchises call upon players from the RAPP as net bowlers, and the BCCI has made it clear that a franchise will have no rights over a player should another franchise wish to recruit him.

ALL ABOUT THE RAPP

The RAPP list contains the names of Players who were registered for the Player Auction for the relevant Season subject to the player
(a) not having been taken in the Player Auction and
(b) not having withdrawn from the Player Auction process.

To act as a Replacement Player the player’s name must have been included on the RAPP list for the relevant Season and his League Fee for the full Season – assuming 100% availability – must not be less than the reserve price set by the Player as documented on the RAPP list.

Franchisees who separately contract with players on the RAPP list to act as net bowlers during the Season shall have no prior call on that player if another Franchisee wishes to take that player as a replacement pursuant to this paragraph 6 and must immediately release him if he agrees terms to be a Replacement Player for another Franchisee.

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U19 World Cup: Pakistan overcome New Zealand by 8 wickets

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Abdul Subhan wrecked New Zealand [Cricinfo]
New Zealand continued to remain winless in the Super Six after getting swatted aside by Pakistan in Harare. In a contest that lasted less than 50 overs combined, New Zealand ended up losing by 8 wickets that kept Pakistan’s semifinal hopes alive ahead of their next clash against arch-rivals India.

New Zealand began in a poor manner losing Marco Alpe for just 2. However, the second wicket partnership carried them to 59/1 inside 8 overs to give New Zealand an excellent platform. From thereon, New Zealand lost their last 9 wickets for just 51 runs in quite an extraordinary manner. The well-set Hugo Bogue’s dismissal triggered the collapse as Abdul Subhan and Ali Raza tormented New Zealand. The duo combined to pick seven wickets as the New Zealand innings came to an end as early as in the 29th over.

Chasing just 111, Pakistan were always in command despite losing their opener Hamza Zahoor for just 8. Sameer Minhas starred once again by doing the bulk of the scoring. He hammered a couple of sixes and 10 fours in his unbeaten 76 as the Asian champions took just 17.1 overs to wipe out the target.

Brief scores:
New Zealand Under 19s  110 in 28.3 overs (Hugo Bogue 39; Abdul Subhan 4/11, Ali Raza 3/36) lost to Pakistan Under 19s  112/2 in 17.1 overs (Sameer Minhas 76*; Mason Clarke 1/34) by 8 wickets

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U19 World Cup: Vihaan Malhotra ton headlines India’s massive win

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Vihaan Malhotra celebrates his hundred against Zimbabwe U19 [Cricbuzz]
A brilliant century from Vihaan Malhotra headlined India’s massive 204-run win over hosts Zimbabwe in Bulawayo in their Super Six fixture of the U19 World Cup. India’s openers, Aaron George and Vaibhav Suryavanshi, raced to 44/0 in the first four overs before the partnership was broken. But Suryavanshi continued to make merry to bring up a quickfire half-century. Zimbabwe then picked up three quick wickets, including that of Sooryavanshi, to reduce India to 130/4 but couldn’t capitalise from that point.
Malhotra joined forces with Abhigyan Kundu to resurrect India with a century stand. While Kundu hit a half-century, Malhotra batted deep into the innings alongside the lower order. Eventually, he finished unbeaten on 109 but it was Khilan Patel’s 12-ball 30 that actually helped India breach 350 to set a daunting target for the Zimbabweans.
While Zimbabwe were never really expected to mount a challenge, losing an opener off just the second ball only compounded matters. Three out of the top four failed to cross double digits as RS Ambrish and Henil Patel made early inroads. Leeroy Chiwaula stood tall with a fighting half-century but apart from him, only two more batters managed to touch double digits. Even skipper Ayush Mhatre had a great time with the ball as he picked three wickets before Udhav Mohan’s double strike put Zimbabwe out of their misery in the 38th over.
Brief scores:
India Under 19s  352/8 in 50 overs (Vihaan Malhotra 109*, Vaibhav Sooriyawanshi 52, Abhigyan Kundu 61; Panashe Mazai 2-86, Tatenda Chimugoro 3/49, Simbarashe Mudzengerere 2-51) beat Zimbabwe Under 19s 148 in 37.4 overs (Leeroy Chiwaula 62; RS Ambrish 2-19. Ayush Mhatre 3-14, Udhav Mohan 3-20) by 204 runs[Cricbuzz]
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