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Boards and leagues effectively cannibalising themselves’ – FICA executive chairman

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Leading international players have discussed multi-league contracts with IPL franchises. Though informal, discussions suggest that leading players may work for an IPL franchise rather than a full-member board. On Tuesday, the Times reported that six English players, including some internationals, were approached by IPL franchise owners and asked whether they would accept an arrangement in which the franchise owner, not the board or county, would be their principal job.

Heath Mills, executive chairman of FICA, the worldwide players’ organisation, said these conversations have taken place in England, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, and West Indies. “There have been informal conversations between some franchises and players about being available to play in multiple tournaments,” Mills told ESPNcricinfo. That varies by player. However, cricketers can expect these discussions and future player alternatives.

“Without delving into individual conversations, they are about a player being eligible to play for a club in different T20 tournaments. A franchise with three or four teams worldwide may want the player in numerous leagues, not only the IPL. It’s not about recruiting a player for all competitions but adding to their IPL team.” Mills said FICA was “aware of conversations for a little while now with a few players to be available for multiple competitions.”

Since IPL clubs like Mumbai Indians and Kolkata Knight Riders expanded into new competitions in the UAE, South Africa, and the US, such a scenario has been a possibility for some time. It appeared last year in David Warner’s contract dispute and Trent Boult’s central contract withdrawal. The chairman of the global players’ association confirming initial talks turns a potential into a more concrete future vision.

Not immediately. On the BBC’s Test Match Special podcast this week, ECB managing director Rob Key said that luring England’s best stars will be difficult. “Test cricket is still the hold for English players, I don’t see any time in the near future certainly where one of the Test players, certainly the centrally contracted players, will say ‘by the way I’m going off to America for three weeks,” Key said. That won’t happen. That’s not a threat now. White-ball cricketers are distinct.”

You could construct windows where people agree to not play international cricket during a T20 competition. It’s doable if everyone compromises.”
FICA executive chairman Heath Mills
There will also be practical challenges, such as navigating league draft and auction systems, wage restrictions, and retention laws. Indian players, the game’s biggest draws, will not be available to any league other than the IPL due to the BCCI’s refusal to provide NOCs (No-Objection Certificates). The ECB CEO, Richard Gould, has stated that foreign players should be paid more.

“We’ll pay them more,” Gould added. “That’s probably going to be based on appearance money rather than the central-contract element because I think that gives us the most cost-effective means of dealing with any given competitive tournament at that moment.

We must compete in the global player market to attract men and women to play for England and in our domestic championships. To keep them, we need financial strength.

I think people put a lot of significance on playing for England, and we’re grateful for their dedication. But we need to make sure we can pay the going rate, and having come back from football, I know player markets very well, so we need to compete in the global player market. “The global player market changes monthly depending on competition.” FICA has long advocated for a cricket calendar rationalization, stating that the excess of international bilateral cricket, ICC events, and T20 leagues forces the greatest players to choose and prioritize where and when they play. Last year’s Future Tours Programme (FTP) was criticized by Mills. Each board organizes its bilateral program and T20 competition individually. Everyone wants the best for himself. They also want top players to improve their international and T20 teams. The top players can’t be everywhere at once.

While we have an agreement where everyone does their own schedule, we will have this collision of T20 leagues and international cricket every month. Boards and leagues are self-destructing. That’s confusing.”

Mills proposed three T20 league periods each year to avoid international cricket clashes.

One possibility boards have is to agree to include T20 leagues in its bilateral program and provide windows for them. In April-May for IPL, January-February for southern hemisphere T20 competitions, and September before an ICC event.

You could construct windows where people agree to not play international cricket during a T20 competition. It’s doable if everyone compromises. Until then, collisions will compel players to choose. Unfortunately, bilateral cricket may lose.”

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Israeli attacks in Gaza add to the heavy Palestinian toll in the war on Hamas.

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Israeli attacks in Gaza add to the heavy Palestinian toll in the war on Hamas. Israeli forces bombarded the central region of Gaza by land, sea, and air. Palestinian officials claimed scores more casualties, and the United Nations health agency stated that thousands of Palestinians were attempting to leave the fighting.

Israel has not wavered in its determination to eradicate the Palestinian militant group Hamas as a reaction to the terrorist organization’s attack on Israel on October 7. This is the case, although international requests have been made for a ceasefire and an improvement in the deteriorating humanitarian situation in the Gaza Strip.

Late on Wednesday, medical personnel reported that Israeli aircraft had carried out three attacks in the Al Nuseirat neighborhood of central Gaza, resulting in the deaths of seven people and injuries to numerous more.

The World Health Organization of the United Nations said that its personnel had witnessed tens of thousands of civilians escape severe strikes in Khan Younis and the Middle Area by walking, riding donkeys, or driving into vehicles. A statement made on Wednesday stated that improvised shelters were being constructed along the road.

On the diplomatic front, where international pressure on Israel has increased, French President Emmanuel Macron sent a call to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in which he emphasized the necessity of working for a truce that is both long-lasting and sustainable with the assistance of regional and international allies, according to the French Presidency.

An Israeli bombardment on Wednesday near Al-Amal Hospital in Khan Younis, which is located in the southern Gaza Strip, resulted in the deaths of twenty Palestinians, according to a statement released by the Gaza Ministry of Health. Immediately after the incident, the Israeli military did not provide any remarks.

Medical personnel said that one airstrike resulted in the deaths of five Palestinians in the Al-Maghazi region of central Gaza. Meanwhile, health authorities reported that seven Palestinians’ bodies arrived at Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City, which is located to the north as well.

As night fell, residents in the central Gaza Strip said that Israeli tank bombardment intensified east of Al-Bureij and Al-Maghazi, which is the area where tanks have been attempting to force their way through.

An increase in Israeli Army casualties
The Israeli military said on Wednesday that three more troops had been killed in action in Gaza, raising the total number of military casualties to 166 since the beginning of ground operations on October 20.

On October 7, the worst day in Israel’s history, Hamas carried out a cross-border rampage that resulted in the deaths of 1,200 people and the kidnapping of 240 hostages. This led to the outbreak of war. The response of the Netanyahu administration has destroyed a significant portion of Gaza, which Hamas administers.

According to the Gaza health ministry, the number of Israeli assaults that resulted in deaths and injuries in the enclave was 21,110 lives lost and 55,243 people injured.

It is estimated that nearly all of Gaza’s 2.3 million residents have been forced to leave their homes.

BLOODLINES OF VIOLENCE

Several countries in the Middle East and the West have expressed concern over the war’s expansion, which now includes the northern border between Israel and Lebanon. According to sources inside the security sector, Hezbollah launched a more significant number of rockets and drones armed with weapons on Wednesday than it has on any other day.

The cabinet minister, Benny Gantz, stated that the situation must be changed. The Israeli military has stated that its airplanes have hit military positions belonging to Hezbollah as well as other locations in Lebanon.

During a news conference, he stated, “The Israel Defense Forces will do it if the world and the Lebanese government do not act in order to prevent the firing on Israel’s northern residents and to distance Hezbollah from the border.” He was alluding to the Israeli military.

In Washington, Vice President Joe Biden stated that the purpose of the United States military strikes that took place in Iraq on Monday was to discourage Iran and militia groups that Iran supports from launching attacks against American personnel and bases. Three Americans suffered injuries as a result of an earlier Monday drone attack by militants with ties to Iran.

Since the beginning of the war, there has been an increase in the number of confrontations that have taken place between Israeli forces and Palestinians in the occupied West Bank. According to the Palestinian health ministry, a drone strike that occurred on Wednesday during an Israeli raid in Tulkarm killed six Palestinians.

Israeli military forces came under attack from militants in that area during a counterterrorism operation, who threw explosive devices at them. The Israeli military has denied any involvement in the attack. An Israeli Air Force aircraft was said to have struck the individuals who carried out the attack.

The conflict occurred in the Nour Shams refugee camp in Tulkarm, a city considered a flashpoint due to its location on one of the primary crossing points into the West Bank.

Witnesses say the six men slain were seated together in the early hours of the morning but were not involved in fights with Israeli soldiers.

“We heard the sound and the screaming; our house is nearby so we came out to see,” said Izzaldin Assaili, a local who lives nearby.

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Russians are banned from traveling and must hand over passports within five days.

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By a regulation issued by the government that will go into effect on Monday, Russian citizens who have been prohibited from traveling outside the country will be required to hand over their passports to the authorities within five days of receiving notification of the restriction.

A travel ban can be imposed by the authorities in Russia on a variety of individuals, including conscripts, employees of the Federal Security Service (FSB), convicted individuals, and anyone who have access to state secrets or “information of special importance,” amongst other categories of individuals.

The passport that has been returned will be kept in storage by the authority that issued it, such as the authorities employed by the Ministry of the Interior or the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Therefore, by the order issued by the government, the passport may be restored following the completion of an application after the travel ban has been lifted.

According to the resolution, those whose freedom to travel was temporarily restricted because they were required to serve in the military or an alternative civilian capacity would be required to present further a military identification card that includes evidence that they have finished their duty.

The Financial Times reported in March, citing unidentified people close to the situation, that Russia’s security services were taking the passports of top officials and executives of state companies to prohibit them from traveling outside the country.

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China’s Li promotes greater cooperation with Indonesia.

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Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has advocated for greater cooperation between China and Indonesia, emphasizing the importance of strong bilateral ties. This article delves into the significance of Li’s visit and the potential areas of cooperation between these two Asian nations.

Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has embarked on a mission to enhance cooperation and strengthen diplomatic ties between China and Indonesia. China and Indonesia hold significant regional influence, and their cooperation can have far-reaching implications in Southeast Asia and beyond.

Economic collaboration is a key focus of discussions, with trade and investment central to the bilateral relationship. Infrastructure development projects like the Belt and Road Initiative may offer joint ventures and partnership opportunities. Cooperation on maritime issues, including security and trade, is of mutual interest, given Indonesia’s strategic location.

Enhancing people-to-people exchanges, such as cultural programs and educational partnerships, can strengthen the bonds between the two nations.

China’s relations with Southeast Asian countries like Indonesia have geopolitical significance, with both nations navigating complex regional dynamics. Collaboration between China and Indonesia can contribute to regional stability and economic growth in Southeast Asia.

Both nations face shared challenges, including environmental concerns and the need for sustainable development.

In conclusion, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang’s visit to Indonesia underscores the commitment of both nations to strengthening their bilateral ties. The potential for enhanced economic cooperation, infrastructure development, and collaboration on regional and global issues paves the way for a deeper and more impactful relationship. As these two influential Asian nations explore areas of mutual interest and address shared challenges, their partnership can shape Southeast Asia and contribute to regional stability and prosperity.

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