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Day: January 18, 2026

  • White House: Trump Unveils Phase Two Framework to End Gaza Conflict, Launches Governance and Security Bodies

    White House: Trump Unveils Phase Two Framework to End Gaza Conflict, Launches Governance and Security Bodies

    White House: Trump Unveils Phase Two Framework to End Gaza Conflict, Launches Governance and Security Bodies

    The White House said President Donald J. Trump welcomed the formation of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) as a key step in Phase Two of his 20-point “Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict,” with NCAG leader Dr. Ali Sha’ath tasked with restoring public services, rebuilding civil institutions, stabilizing daily life, and laying the groundwork for self-sustaining governance. The statement claims the framework aligns with U.N. Security Council Resolution 2803 (2025) and is overseen by a “Board of Peace” chaired by Trump, supported by a founding Executive Board—named as Secretary Marco Rubio, Steve Witkoff, Jared Kushner, Sir Tony Blair, Marc Rowan, Ajay Banga, and Robert Gabriel—plus senior advisors Aryeh Lightstone and Josh Gruenbaum for day-to-day execution. It also names Nickolay Mladenov as High Representative for Gaza to coordinate between the Board and NCAG, appoints Major General Jasper Jeffers to command an International Stabilization Force to support security, demilitarization, and aid delivery, and establishes a Gaza Executive Board (including Witkoff, Kushner, Turkey’s Minister Hakan Fidan, Sir Tony Blair, Marc Rowan, Minister Reem Al-Hashimy, Sigrid Kaag, and others) to assist governance and service delivery, with additional members to be announced in the coming weeks.

    Statement on President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict

    Yesterday, President Donald J. Trump congratulated the formation of the National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG), a vital step forward in implementing Phase Two of his Comprehensive Plan to End the Gaza Conflict—a 20-point roadmap for lasting peace, stability, reconstruction, and prosperity in the region.

    The NCAG will be led by Dr. Ali Sha’ath, a widely respected technocratic leader who will oversee the restoration of core public services, the rebuilding of civil institutions, and the stabilization of daily life in Gaza, while laying the foundation for long-term, self-sustaining governance. Dr. Sha’ath brings deep experience in public administration, economic development, and international engagement, and is widely respected for his pragmatic, technocratic leadership and understanding of Gaza’s institutional realities.

    This milestone perfectly aligns with United Nations Security Council Resolution 2803 (2025), which endorsed President Trump’s Comprehensive Plan and welcomed the establishment of the Board of Peace. The Board of Peace will play an essential role in fulfilling all 20 points of the President’s plan, providing strategic oversight, mobilizing international resources, and ensuring accountability as Gaza transitions from conflict to peace and development.

    To operationalize the Board of Peace’s vision—under the chairmanship of President Donald J. Trump—a founding Executive Board has been formed, composed of leaders with experience across diplomacy, development, infrastructure, and economic strategy. The appointed members are:

    • Secretary Marco Rubio
    • Steve Witkoff
    • Jared Kushner
    • Sir Tony Blair
    • Marc Rowan
    • Ajay Banga
    • Robert Gabriel

    Each Executive Board member will oversee a defined portfolio critical to Gaza’s stabilization and long-term success, including, but not limited to, governance capacity-building, regional relations, reconstruction, investment attraction, large-scale funding, and capital mobilization.

    In support of this operating model, the Chairman has appointed Aryeh Lightstone and Josh Gruenbaum as senior advisors to the Board of Peace, charged with leading day-to-day strategy and operations, and translating the Board’s mandate and diplomatic priorities into disciplined execution.

    H.E. Nickolay Mladenov, an Executive Board member, will serve as the High Representative for Gaza. In this capacity, he will act as the on-the-ground link between the Board of Peace and the NCAG. He will support the Board’s oversight of all aspects of Gaza’s governance, reconstruction, and development, while ensuring coordination across civilian and security pillars.

    To establish security, preserve peace, and establish a durable terror-free environment, Major General Jasper Jeffers has been appointed Commander of the International Stabilization Force (ISF), where he will lead security operations, support comprehensive demilitarization, and enable the safe delivery of humanitarian aid and reconstruction materials.

    In support of the Office of the High Representative and the NCAG, a Gaza Executive Board is being established. The Board will help support effective governance and the delivery of best-in-class services that advance peace, stability, and prosperity for the people of Gaza. The appointed members are:

    • Steve Witkoff
    • Jared Kushner
    • Minister Hakan Fidan
    • Ali Al-Thawadi
    • General Hassan Rashad
    • Sir Tony Blair
    • Marc Rowan
    • Minister Reem Al-Hashimy
    • Nickolay Mladenov
    • Yakir Gabay
    • Sigrid Kaag

    The United States remains fully committed to supporting this transitional framework, working in close partnership with Israel, key Arab nations, and the international community to achieve the objectives of the Comprehensive Plan. The President calls on all parties to cooperate fully with the NCAG, the Board of Peace, and the International Stabilization Force to ensure the swift and successful implementation of the Comprehensive Plan.

    Additional Executive Board and Gaza Executive Board members will be announced over the coming weeks.

    The White House

    January 16, 2026

    Sources: WH.gov , Midtown Tribune news

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • White House Presidential Message Honoring Benjamin Franklin’s 320th Birthday

    White House Presidential Message Honoring Benjamin Franklin’s 320th Birthday

    In an “America 250” message dated January 17, 2026, the White House commemorates Benjamin Franklin on what would have been his 320th birthday, praising him as a printer, inventor, diplomat, public servant, and patriot whose life helped define the American character. The statement highlights Franklin’s self-education and rise as a leading colonial publisher, along with practical innovations and civic contributions such as the lightning rod, bifocals, experiments with electricity, and the creation of public-serving institutions like a library and volunteer fire department, as well as his role as the first Postmaster General. It also emphasizes his central role in the founding era: service in the Second Continental Congress, involvement in drafting the Declaration of Independence, securing French support, helping negotiate the 1783 Treaty of Paris, and advocating for Constitution ratification. The message closes by framing Franklin’s legacy as enduring through American institutions and the nation’s civic ideals, calling him the “First American” and linking his impact to 250 years of national history.

    America 250: Presidential Message on the Birthday of Benjamin Franklin

    Today, we celebrate the towering life and legacy of Benjamin Franklin—printer and philosopher, inventor and diplomat, public servant and patriot, and one of the most consequential Americans to ever live.  On what would have been his 320th birthday, we honor his restless genius, his steadfast devotion to liberty, and his legendary contributions to our national story.

    Born on January 17, 1706, in Boston, Massachusetts, Franklin grew up the 15th of 17 children.  Raised with little formal education, he taught himself how to read and write, emerging at age 23 as one of the most successful and influential publishers in the Colonies.  He was also a passionate innovator, always striving to improve the lives of his fellow citizens through public service and the marvels of science.  Throughout his life, he invented the lightning rod and the first bifocal glasses, harnessed the power of electricity with his famous “key and kite” experiment, established the first public library and volunteer fire department, and served as the first Postmaster General, binding the Colonies together with an organized mail system long before they were bound together as one Nation.

    Of his countless triumphs and successes, his most epic contributions to our Republic were those that fortified the cause of freedom.  While living in England as an ambassador for the Pennsylvania Assembly, Franklin witnessed firsthand the growing British hostility toward the Colonies.  In 1775, Franklin was selected as a delegate to the Second Continental Congress, where, together with fellow patriots John Adams and Thomas Jefferson, he helped draft the Declaration of Independence, suggesting to Jefferson that he include the immortal phrase:  “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.”

    Franklin’s unshakable commitment to the causes of the Revolution ultimately led him across the Atlantic once more, where he played a pivotal role in securing French support for the patriot cause against the British Empire and acted as a principal negotiator of the 1783 Treaty of Paris, which ended the Revolutionary War.  After American independence was finally won, he played a vital role in rallying support for the ratification of the Constitution in 1788.  Franklin is one of only six men to have signed both the Declaration of Independence and the Constitution.

    Benjamin Franklin is often remembered as the “First American”—a title that reflects a life devoted to curiosity, industry, and the cause of human freedom.  His intellect and character helped shape an American identity grounded in courage, self-reliance, and civic duty.  Franklin gave the young country confidence and direction, demonstrating how knowledge and public service could advance the cause of liberty.  His legacy endures in our institutions, our Constitution, and the very character of our Republic—a testament to how one man’s ideas and actions can echo through the history of a nation for 250 glorious years.

    Happy birthday, Benjamin Franklin!

    The White House

    January 17, 2026

    Sources: WH.gov , Midtown Tribune news

    Midtown Tribune Independent USA news from New York

  • Mayor Zohran Mamdani Hosts Africa Cup of Nations Watch Party

    Mayor Zohran Mamdani Hosts Africa Cup of Nations Watch Party

    Video: Mayor Zohran Mamdani Hosts Africa Cup of Nations Watch Party.

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