While You Were Sleeping: 5 stories you might have missed, Aug 17, 2026
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Palestinians walking past the rubble of residential buildings destroyed during the war, in Gaza City, on Aug 15.
PHOTO: REUTERS
Kushner meets Hamas leader in push to revive Gaza plan
US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law and envoy Jared Kushner met Hamas’ new leader in Egypt on Aug 16, sources with knowledge of the talks told AFP, in a push to revive a Gaza peace plan rejected by Israel.
Two weeks after Hamas endorsed the latest stage of Trump’s Gaza plan by saying it would hand over weapons to a new governing committee, Kushner pressed for verifiable disarmament, a key demand of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Kushner called for “concrete, verifiable steps” and relayed a message that “Gaza can never again be a source of terror for Israel”, said one source who spoke on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the talks.
Hamas chief Khalil al-Hayya took part in the discussions in the Egyptian Mediterranean city of El-Alamein, making his first trip since assuming leadership of the group in July.
Better environment needed for India visit: Bangladesh
PHOTO: REUTERS
Bangladesh signalled on Aug 16 it wants a more favourable diplomatic environment before it can agree to a top-level visit to India, as Dhaka presses New Delhi to extradite its ousted former leader and other fugitives.
Relations between the neighbours plummeted in 2024 when Bangladesh’s then prime minister, Sheikh Hasina (above), fled to India at the height of the uprising against her government.
The countries have been talking for weeks over a possible visit to India by Bangladesh’s Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in a bid to repair ties.
Calls for inquiry into ‘hounding’ of ex-Cambridge academic
PHOTO: REUTERS
More than 31,000 people, including several MPs, have signed a petition urging UK Prime Minister Andy Burnham to hold a public inquiry into alleged media harassment of the late academic Jason Arday, the organisers said Aug 16.
The petition was launched by the Good Law Project activist group after Arday, who was appointed three years ago as the youngest-ever black professor at Cambridge University, was found dead on Aug 14.
The project had been supporting Arday since he resigned earlier this month from the university and as a fellow of Jesus College after both institutions launched investigations into allegations of plagiarism and fabricating or exaggerating his life story.
Arsenal rout City in Community Shield masterclass
PHOTO: REUTERS
Arsenal powered to a 3-0 win against Manchester City in the Community Shield on Aug 16, delivering a swaggering statement of intent ahead of their Premier League title defence.
Mikel Arteta’s side used the annual curtain raiser to the English top-flight season as an opportunity to prove their long-awaited title triumph has done nothing to sate their appetite for success.
The Gunners took just 24 seconds to show new City boss Enzo Maresca the standard required to keep up with the champions.
Retiring? Ronaldo says upcoming year could be his last
PHOTO: IMAGN IMAGES
Cristiano Ronaldo has fuelled speculation about his retirement plans after saying the upcoming year will probably be the last of his playing career.
The 41-year-old Portugal captain is one of the most decorated players of all time, winning major trophies with Manchester United, Real Madrid, Juventus and current club Al-Nassr since making his senior debut for Sporting in 2002.
Ronaldo, a five-time Ballon d’Or winner, was unable to add a World Cup title to his list of honours after Portugal fell short at this year’s tournament, leaving the sport’s biggest prize absent from his trophy cabinet.
