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(NewsNation) — President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace is set to meet for the first time Thursday in Washington, D.C., marking an early test of whether the administration’s foreign policy initiatives can build broad international support and reinforce the fragile ceasefire in Gaza.

The inaugural meeting will focus on reconstruction for a war-ravaged Gaza. But ahead of the gathering, the Gaza ceasefire deal remains fragile, and Trump’s expanded vision for the board has triggered fears that he’s looking to create a rival to the United Nations.

Trump announced ahead of the meeting that board members have pledged $5 billion toward rebuilding — a fraction of the estimated $70 billion needed to rebuild the Palestinian territory after two years of conflict. Participants are expected to unveil commitments of thousands of personnel for international stabilization and policing efforts.

The board was originally launched as part of Trump’s 20-point peace plan aimed at ending the conflict in Gaza. Since the October ceasefire, however, Trump has expanded its scope, saying the group could eventually help resolve conflicts around the world. He has described the group as potentially the most consequential international body in history.

More than 20 countries — including Israel, Saudi Arabia and Turkey — plan to join the board, with Trump serving as its first chairman.

Still, the Gaza ceasefire deal remains fragile, and Trump’s expanded vision for the board has sparked fears that the board could rival the United Nations.

Earlier this week, Trump suggested the group may further expand its goals while criticizing the U.N.

“I think it’s going to go far beyond Gaza; I think it’ll be based all over. And we’re working in conjunction with the United Nations,” Trump told reporters Monday. ” The United Nations has great potential; they haven’t lived up to its potential.”

Several major allies, including France, Germany, the United Kingdom and Ukraine, will not participate. Russia has been invited, which has drawn additional controversy.

The Vatican announced it would not join the board. Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican’s top diplomatic official, said Tuesday that international crises should be managed primarily by the U.N., adding, “This is one of the points on which we have insisted.”

The inaugural meeting will be held at the U.S. Institute of Peace, recently renamed the Trump Institute of Peace.

Five-star Coatesville (Pa.) wing Colton Hiller—ranked No. 3 nationally in the Class of 2028 by 247Sports and the 247Sports Composite—will be on hand Saturday in Washington, D.C., for Duke vs. Michigan. Duke has not offered Hiller yet.

Colton Hiller, one of the premier long-term prospects in high school basketball, will be on hand Saturday when Duke and Michigan meet at Capital One Arena in Washington, D.C., as part of the Edward Jones Capital Showcase.

Hiller, a 2028 wing from Coatesville (Pa.) Area, is rated as the No. 3 overall player nationally in the class of 2028 by both 247Sports and the 247Sports Composite rankings. Duke is involved with Hiller at this early point, but no official scholarship offer has been reported by the prospect to date. He does, however, have more than 20 reported offers from a number of Power Four programs.

Physically, Hiller looks to be trending toward college-ready status. He's listed at 6-foot-6, and 210 pounds by 247Sports and boasts a scouting report that highlights improving athleticism, elite shooting mechanics, and an evolving overall game.

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Duke’s newest corner just earned national praise. Montana transfer Kyon Loud was named to 247Sports’ Top 100 under-the-radar portal players after a dominant (if injury-shortened) season. Duke zeroed in early—and Loud arrives with size, swagger, and three years of eligibility.

Thousands of college football players tested the transfer waters this winter. There were nearly 3,000 FBS scholarship players in the transfer portal. With that kind of volume, even the most locked in fans can miss the names that front offices quietly circle in red ink.

That's exactly the lane 247Sports national recruiting analyst Chris Hummer set out to spotlight with his new list: the Top 100 under the radar transfers of this portal cycle, players who were ranked as three star prospects or lower, but who drew real behind the scenes admiration from college personnel.

Because as we've seen in the past, usually those players are the ones who produce the best return on investment.

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Reading comprehension is at an all-time low in America, to the point where it’s a crisis. Now is the best time for more parents to encourage their children to read. Nobody understands how fun a day at the library can be for a young child, and it can literally change their life for the better. Now, a Washington, DC podcaster has something to say after two parents were judged for having their children spend some time reading before vacation. Apparently, it’s akin to child abuse if you have structured reading time.

Podcaster Saron, (TikTok/SaronThings) posted a TikTok video reacting to a photo of two children reading, which went viral on social media. The caption reads: “POV: You’re on vacation but your parents are strict and make you reads before take off.” According to Saron, the mother, Vidya, an influencer who posts various vlogging content, received a lot of hate for making her children read on their flight.

Zooming in for dramatic effect, Saron then asks, “What the [expletive] is wrong with you people? They’re raising their children to be competent, intellectually stimulated, literate, critical-thinking adults. And they’re still taking them on vacation!” They look pretty content, too. Vidya’s son even looks up and gives his mother a beaming smile.

Saron continues: “If you think that’s abuse, you should not have children. You shouldn’t have children. Your child will be left behind.” She then brings up the fact a lot of kids can barely string together a sentence. And it certainly doesn’t help that children and college students widely use AI tools like ChatGPT.

So, what’s the harm in having some structured reading time? Clearly, they like to read; otherwise, they wouldn’t have e-readers. And when they get to their destination, they’ll have plenty of opportunities for fun and making memories.

In reality, requiring them to set aside some reading time will not hurt anyone. In fact, it only benefits them, even if they don’t see it that way now. It’s better than letting them sit on their phones or tablets for hours every day. That’s not good for a child’s brain—or an adult’s brain, for that matter. “You want to tell a parent who is actually doing the right thing to ‘slow their roll?’ Shut up!” Saron says.

One commenter chimed in, “God forbid she wants her children to be LITERATE!!!!”

Another commenter said, “Mind you, Vidya’s kids LIKE reading.” In the same thread, someone responded, arguing that it was because they weren’t “allowed to do anything else.” As if going on vacation isn’t doing ‘something else.’

Perhaps more parents need to consider giving their children downtime to sit back and read a good book. You never know how much of a difference it could make in their lives. You don’t have to go as hard as Vidya does; just teach your kids the joy of reading.

Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser on Wednesday declared the month-long Potomac River sewage spill a local public emergency to request federal support.

On Jan. 19, a section of Potomac Interceptor, a major sewage pipeline operated by DC Water -- the main water utility that serves Washington D.C. -- collapsed, releasing over 200 million gallons of wastewater into the Potomac River. The U.S. capital and surrounding areas have been grappling with the spill.

The mayor requested the federal government to direct Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to establish regular interagency coordination calls among federal agencies, affected states and the District to maintain shared situational awareness and align federal assistance.

She also requested the federal government provide additional federal technical and testing assistance for expanded water quality monitoring, environmental modeling and engineering support, as needed.

In a post on social media platform X on Wednesday, the mayor said that the request seeks 100 percent "reimbursement" for costs incurred by the District and DC Water.

The Potomac River runs through Washington D.C., and into the Chesapeake Bay, which then connects to the Atlantic Ocean. DC Water officials have said the region's drinking water remains safe to drink.

The latest request from the mayor came as President Donald Trump recently criticized local leaders for the handling of the spill.

In a post on Truth Social on Tuesday, Trump said D.C., Maryland and Virginia officials "must get to work, IMMEDIATELY" to address the Potomac sewage spill.

"If they can't do the job, they have to call me and ask, politely, to get it fixed," Trump said.

An alert on the website of DC Water said that repair work "continues" and that "a bypass established five days after the overflow occurred continues to successfully divert wastewater around the collapse site and back into the pipe further downstream."

EVA Air will start a new route from Taipei to Washington, D.C. on June 26 this year, offering four flights each week.

With this new route, EVA Air’s North American network will grow to include 10 gateways, two of which will feature the new fourth-generation Premium Economy class and increase the total weekly flights to 98.

This makes EVA Air the airline with the most destinations and the largest flight network from Taiwan to North America.

“North America has long been a key strategic market for EVA Air,” said EVA Air President Clay Sun. “Following the launch of our Dallas-Fort Worth route last year, which made us the only airline in Asia to serve two destinations in Texas, we are further expanding our U.S. network with nonstop service to Washington, D.C. The addition of the Washington, D.C. route strengthens our North American network, while providing passengers with more flexible, efficient, and comfortable travel options.”

The Taipei–Washington, D.C. route will be operated by Boeing 787-9 aircraft featuring a three-class configuration: Royal Laurel Class, Economy Class, and the new fourth-generation Premium Economy Class. EVA Air’s Premium Economy class offers the industry’s largest seat pitch, elevating the design concept from an “upgraded economy” standard to a “business-class-like” experience.

“This new nonstop flight will significantly reduce existing travel times between Taipei and Washington, D.C. This flight is estimated to generate more than $61 million in annual economic impact to the U.S. National Capital region. Today’s announcement supports Washington Dulles’ position as the international gateway to Washington, D.C.,” said Chryssa Westerlund, executive vice president and chief revenue officer of the Metropolitan Washington Airports Authority.

Following the launch of the Washington, D.C. route, passengers can connect seamlessly through EVA Air’s ten nonstop North American gateways, which include Los Angeles, San Francisco, Seattle, New York, Houston, Dallas-Fort Worth, Chicago, Vancouver, and Toronto.

Through partnerships with Star Alliance members such as Air Canada, United Airlines, Avianca, and Copa Airlines, as well as cooperation with Alaska Airlines, JetBlue, Hawaiian Airlines, Sun Country Airlines, Southwest Airlines, and WestJet, EVA Air’s network extends to more than 200 destinations throughout the Americas.

North American travellers can also take advantage of EVA Air’s extensive Asian network, with convenient connections via Taiwan to major cities across Asia. By linking Asia and the Americas through a highly efficient hub and delivering award-winning five-star service, EVA Air continues to provide a premium and reliable travel experience for passengers worldwide.

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