Thursday, January 22, 2026

French journalist arrested in Turkey while covering pro-Kurdish protest released

A French journalist who was arrested while covering a protest over a Syrian government offensive targeting Kurdish fighters has been released, though it is not clear whether the charges against him have been dropped.

Issued on: 22/01/2026 - RFI

Raphael Boukandoura, a French journalist who has been living and working in Turkey for nearly a decade, was released Wednesday after he was detained by police while covering a pro-Kurdish demonstration in Istanbul. © Boukandoura family via AFP

"I am on my way home," Raphael Boukandoura, 35, told the AFP news agency in a brief phone call on Wednesday. He was speaking from a taxi bringing him home from the migrant detention centre in Arnavutkoy, near Istanbul airport, where he had been transferred after his arrest on Monday.

His lawyer Emine Ozhasar confirmed he had been freed, adding that they were still waiting to hear details of his release.

Boukandoura, who has been living in Turkey for at least a decade and holds an official press card, was arrested on Monday while he was covering a protest called by pro-Kurdish opposition party DEM for the French daily newspaper Libération.

He was arrested along with nine other people when police broke up the protest, and was accused of joining in with the protesters shouting slogans against the Turkish military offensive targeting Kurds in north-eastern Syria.

He denied taking part in the protest, and said he was there as a journalist covering the event.

Turkey's independent media on alert over stance of tech giants

'Hazardous job'

France's foreign ministry had on Tuesday said it hoped Boukandoura, who regularly covers Turkey for French publications, would be "freed as quickly as possible".

The European Parliament's Turkey rapporteur Nacho Sanchez Amor had also said he was following "with concern" the reporter's case, especially the threat of deportation.

"Independent journalism is really a hazardous job in Turkiye for locals and foreigners," he wrote on social media before Boukandoura's release.

Media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) had earlier called it "unacceptable" to threaten a French journalist with expulsion for doing his job.

"It is intended to intimidate journalists covering pro-Kurdish protests in Turkey," the group’s Turkey representative Erol Onderoglu told AFP.

(with AFP)

French journalist arrested during Istanbul protest over Syria offensive

A French journalist was one of 10 people arrested in Istanbul late Monday at a protest over a Syrian government offensive targeting Kurdish fighters, the pro-Kurdish DEM party told French news agency AFP.

Issued on: 20/01/2026 - RFI

Protesters gather and show victory signs during a demonstration against the attacks by the Syrian government forces, in Diyarbalir, the main city in Turkey's Kurdish-majority southeast, on 19 January 2026. AFP - ILYAS AKENGIN

Raphaël Boukandoura, who works for various French publications including Ouest France and Courrier International, was arrested outside DEM's Istanbul headquarters in the Sancaktepe district, it said.

His arrest was also confirmed by Reporters Without Borders (RSF), who called for him to be freed without delay.

"We call for the immediate release of our colleague who did nothing but his legitimate duty to cover a protest," RSF's Turkey representative Erol Onderoglu told AFP.

"RSF is closely following his case and calls on the authorities to put an end to such arbitrary interference against media professionals," he said.

Ouest France echoed the call for him to be freed "immediately".

Call for protection

The police intervened after a DEM statement was read out calling for "an immediate halt to the attacks" and for the protection of civilians in northeastern Syria, Turkish news reports showed.

Syrian forces began an offensive nearly two weeks ago which pushed Kurdish-led SDF forces out of the northern city of Aleppo, and expanded over the weekend to push deep into territory that has been held by Kurdish forces for over a decade.

People celebrate in Sheikh Maksoud neighbourhood following the collapse of an agreement between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in Aleppo, Syria, 10 January 2026. REUTERS - Khalil Ashawi

The move was hailed by Ankara as a legitimate "fight against terror" but triggered angry protests among Turkey's Kurds, who make up a fifth of the country's population of 86 million and who have been deeply unsettled by the violence.

It has also raised questions about the fate of Turkey's peace process with the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) in a bid to draw a line under a four-decade insurgency that cost some 50,000 lives.

Ceasefire negotiations collapse

The PKK on Tuesday said it would "never abandon" Kurds in Syria.

"You should know...whatever the cost, we will never leave you alone.. we as the entire Kurdish people and as the movement, will do whatever is necessary," Murat Karayilan of the PKK was quoted as saying.

Meanwhile, negotiations have collapsed between the Syrian president and the chief of the country's Kurdish-led forces, a Kurdish official told AFP on Tuesday, as the army deployed reinforcements to flashpoint areas in the north.

US and EU urge fresh talks between Syria govt, Kurds after deadly clashes

President Ahmed al-Sharaa and Mazloum Abdi, who heads the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), were meeting to discuss a ceasefire agreement that included integrating the Kurds' administration into the state.

The agreement had marked a blow for the Kurds' long-held ambitions of preserving the de facto autonomy they had exercised in swathes of northern Syria for over a decade.

Sunday's ceasefire deal included the Kurds' handover of Arab-majority Deir Ezzor and Raqa provinces, which they administered after their US-backed defeat of IS at the height of Syria's civil war.

Sharaa, who is backed by the United States and Turkey, has refused to entertain the idea of decentralisation or federal rule, and insisted the army must deploy across Syria.

(with AFP)

Eroded by rising seas, France's disappearing coasts force beach towns to adapt

With sea levels rising and warmer oceans fuelling more powerful waves, France is preparing to lose 500,000 hectares of coastline by 2100. People in one coastal community in the south-west tell RFI why they're sacrificing some structures to the advancing sea.

Issued on: 19/01/2026 - RFI

A mechanical excavator brings sand to reinforce dunes next to buildings threatened by coastal erosion in Biscarosse, south-western France, on 17 January 2025

. © Christophe ARCHAMBAULT / AFP

Winter is storm season in Labenne, a seaside resort on France's southern Atlantic coast.

On the beach, a World War II bunker is half buried by the dunes. The lifeguard station will soon be overtaken too; the town council has had to build another one, farther from the beach.

"We're well aware that even the beach car park is doomed to disappear," says Stéphanie Chessoux, Labenne's mayor.

"Like businesses, we will have to take this natural progression into account. The elements are reclaiming their rights."

Surrendered to sea and sand

This part of France loses around two metres of coast a year to erosion.

In Labenne, more and more land has turned into sand dunes. They surround the site of the town's former sanatorium, where tuberculosis patients once came to breathe the sea air.

Constructed in the 1920s, the concrete building contained asbestos, presenting health risks as it fell into disrepair. Local authorities had it demolished last October.

An aerial view of the old sanatorium before it was demolished, by the Atlantic ocean in Labenne, south-western France, on 24 July 2025.

© AFP - CHRISTOPHE ARCHAMBAULT

"The ocean has advanced, but the building also deteriorated due to its proximity to the ocean, sand and salty air, which wore down everything made of metal inside the concrete," explains Laure Guilhem-Tauzin of the Coastal Protection Agency, where she focuses on the Aquitaine region.

By knocking the structure down, "the idea was first and foremost to give nature back its rights and prevent marine pollution in the medium term", she says.

"And also to prevent an investor who underestimated the costs of investment and depreciation from redeveloping the building, which would have had to be demolished 15 or 20 years later."

French towns left uninsured as climate change increases risks

Nature-based solutions

Now, the 12,000-square-metre site is being turned over to a project to plant vegetation that can help stabilise the sand.

The area will be planted with species adapted to growing on dunes, says Guilhem-Tauzin. "It traps sand and holds the dunes in place. When there are storms, it stops the sand going inland."

The project is an example of "nature-based solutions", she explains, which are often the most effective. "A floodable marsh protects a green space behind the coast better than a sea wall, which can break in one go."

Across France, as many as 50,000 buildings could be threatened by shrinking coastlines by 2100.

In the long term, some experts say the country will have to consider more radical options, such as managed retreat – moving communities away from the coast and allowing the sea to reclaim low-lying land.

Restart of world's biggest nuclear plant paused after alert, Japan's TEPCO says

By Gavin Blackburn

Published on 22/01/2026 - EURONEWS

The restart, initially scheduled for Tuesday, had been pushed back after another technical issue related to the control rods' removal was detected last weekend.

The restart of the world's largest nuclear power plant was suspended in Japan on Thursday just hours after the process began, its operator said, but the reactor remains "stable."

Operations to relaunch a reactor at the Kashiwazaki-Kariwa plant in Niigata province, closed since the 2011 Fukushima disaster, began late on Wednesday after it received the final green light from the nuclear regulator despite divided public opinion.

But its operator the Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) said that "an alarm from the monitoring system...sounded during the reactor startup procedures," causing them to suspend operations.

"We were investigating the malfunctioning electrical equipment," spokesperson Takashi Kobayashi said and "once it became clear that it would take time, we decided to reinsert the control rods in a planned manner."

A radiation monitor at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power station in Okuma, 28 February, 2012 AP Photo

The reactor "is stable and there is no radioactive impact outside," he said.

Control rods are a device used to control the nuclear chain reaction in the reactor core, which can be accelerated by slightly withdrawing them, or slowed down or stopped completely by inserting them deeper.

The restart, initially scheduled for Tuesday, had been pushed back after another technical issue related to the rods' removal was detected last weekend, a problem that was resolved on Sunday, according to TEPCO.

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is the world's biggest nuclear power plant by potential capacity, although just one reactor of seven was restarted.

The facility was taken offline when Japan pulled the plug on nuclear power after a colossal earthquake and tsunami sent three reactors at the Fukushima atomic plant into meltdown in 2011.

However, Japan now wants to revive atomic energy to reduce its reliance on fossil fuels, achieve carbon neutrality by 2050 and meet growing energy needs from artificial intelligence.

Kashiwazaki-Kariwa is the first TEPCO-run unit to restart since 2011. The company also operates the stricken Fukushima Daiichi plant, now being decommissioned.

Protesters hold placards during a rally to oppose nuclear power generation held in front of the TEPCO headquarters in Tokyo, 3 April, 2011 AP Photo

Public opinion in Niigata is deeply divided. Around 60% of residents oppose the restart, while 37% support it, according to a survey conducted in September.

"It's Tokyo's electricity that is produced in Kashiwazaki, so why should the people here be put at risk? That makes no sense," Yumiko Abe, a 73-year-old resident, told the AFP news agency during a protest earlier this week.

Earlier this month, seven groups opposing the restart submitted a petition signed by nearly 40,000 people to TEPCO and Japan's Nuclear Regulation Authority, saying that the plant sits on an active seismic fault zone and noted it was struck by a strong quake in 2007.

Iran offers first government-issued death toll from security crackdown on protesters

Copyright Office of the Iranian Supreme Leader via AP
By Emma De Ruiter
Published on 22/01/2026 - EURONEWS

State television carried statements by the Interior Ministry and the Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs, an official body providing services to families of those killed in wars, saying 3,117 people were killed.

Iran offered its first government-issued death toll late on Wednesday following a crackdown on nationwide protests, giving a far lower figure than activists abroad as the country’s theocracy tries to reassert control after unrest recalling the chaos surrounding its 1979 Islamic Revolution.
State television carried statements by the Interior Ministry and the Foundation of Martyrs and Veterans Affairs, an official body providing services to families of those killed in wars, saying 3,117 people were killed.
It added that 2,427 of the dead in the demonstrations that began on 28 December were civilians and security forces.
It did not elaborate on the rest. Iran's government in the past has undercounted or not reported fatalities from unrest.
The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency said the death toll early on Thursday was at least 4,902, with many more feared dead.
A fruit seller waits for customer at Tehran's historic Grand Bazaar, 20 January, 2026 AP Photo
The human rights group has been accurate throughout the years on demonstrations and unrest in Iran, relying on a network of activists inside the country that confirms all reported fatalities.
Other groups similarly have offered higher numbers than the Iranian government tally.
The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the death toll, in part due to authorities cutting access to the internet and blocking international calls into the country.
Iran has also reportedly limited journalists' ability locally to report on the aftermath of the protests, instead repeatedly airing claims on state television that refer to demonstrators as "rioters" motivated by America and Israel, without offering evidence to support the allegation.
Nearly 26,500 people have also been arrested, according to the Human Rights Activists News Agency.
Comments from officials have led to fears of some of those detained being put to death in Iran, one of the world's top executioners.
People conduct their business at Tehran's historic Grand Bazaar, 20 January, 2026 AP Photo

Warning from Araghchi

Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi issued his most-direct threat yet to the United States on Wednesday, warning the Islamic Republic will be “firing back with everything we have if we come under renewed attack.”
"Unlike the restraint Iran showed in June 2025, our powerful armed forces have no qualms about firing back with everything we have if we come under renewed attack," Araghchi wrote in the Wall Street Journal, referring to the 12-day conflict with Israel last June.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi speaks in a press briefing in Tehran, 18 January, 2026 AP Photo

"This isn’t a threat, but a reality I feel I need to convey explicitly, because as a diplomat and a veteran, I abhor war."
The comments came as Araghchi saw his invitation to the World Economic Forum in Davos rescinded over the killings and as a US aircraft carrier group moved west toward the Middle East from Asia.
The USS Abraham Lincoln, which had been in the South China Sea in recent days, had passed through the Strait of Malacca, a key waterway connecting the sea and Indian Ocean, by Tuesday, ship-tracking data showed.

How many people have been killed during

the crackdown on Iranian protesters?

The number of people killed in protests against the Iranian regime has been rising since demonstrations began in late December. An NGO reported on January 20 that more than 4,500 people had been killed. However, it added that the figure was provisional because a nationwide internet blackout meant that the death toll had been hard to establish. The real number is thought to be much higher.

Issued on: 21/01/2026 -
By: Nathan GALLO/The FRANCE 24 Observers

This image, published on January 13, 2026, shows Iranian families identifying the remains of loved ones at the morgue in Kahrizak, south of the Iranian capital.
© Telegram, VahidOnline

Weeks after protests in Iran began on December 28 – and with a near-total Internet blackout since January 8 – it is still impossible for activists and observers to establish the exact number of people killed in the government crackdown on protesters. A provisional count puts the death toll at more than 4,500, with a possibility of "up to 20,000 dead".

Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei publicly acknowledged the deaths of "thousands” on January 17. The next day, Iranian authorities, including an anonymous official who spoke to the Reuters press agency, said that at least 5,000 people had been killed during these protests. And on Wednesday, Iranian state TV issued the first official death toll, saying 3,117 people were killed.

"The final toll is not expected to increase sharply," the official added. He blamed the deaths on “terrorists and armed rioters”.

This is a screenshot of an article published by the Reuters news agency on January 18 that quoted an Iranian official who said that there had been at least 5,000 verified deaths in recent protests, including 500 members of the country's security forces. "The final toll is not expected to increase sharply," he added. © Reuters

"Up to 20,000" estimated deaths

Despite statements by the regime, the real toll could be much higher. Numbers calculated by observers and activists are a testament to the extent of the crackdown on protesters carried out by Iranian security forces.

Estimates of the death toll published by several media outlets were four times the number given by Iranian authorities. US media outlet CBS reported on January 13, for example, that between 12,000 and 20,000 people were feared to have been killed in these protests, based on information gathered by Iran-based activists working to compile a death toll from reports from medical officials across the country.

Iran International, a media outlet based in London, reported on January 12 that the death toll was 12,000. The report cited high-ranking government and security sources. The death toll was estimated even higher - between 16,500 and 18,000 people - in a January 18 article by the Sunday Times, which based its reporting on a database of information gathered by sources in 24 hospitals and emergency services across Iran.
4,519 verified deaths on January 20

Despite these varying estimates, most international agencies and media outlets, including FRANCE 24, relied on data gathered by two NGOs dedicated to human rights in Iran: the Norway-based Iran Human Rights and Human Rights Activists in Iran (HRANA), which is based in the United States.

HRANA reported on January 20 that there had been 4,519 "verified” deaths, including 197 members of military and government forces. The NGO added that there were a further 9,049 deaths “still under investigation”. These numbers, based on information communicated by families and medical sources, are the result of a process of victim identification carried out by sources on the ground.

Iran Human Rights reported on January 14 that they had verified 3,428 deaths (see the chart below). The organisation noted that the majority of victims were killed during protests held between January 8 and 12, the period when the crackdown was the most violent. While the internet blackout slowed down the process of verifying the death toll during these protests, these two organisations continue to update their numbers as information comes in.
This chart shows the number of deaths confirmed by the NGOs Iran Human Rights and Human Rights Activists in Iran on January 19, 2026. While the internet blackout hindered the establishment of a death toll, these two NGOs continue to gather information. Iran Human Rights has not updated their numbers since January 14, 2026.
© Studio graphic, France Medias Monde

\
Some social media users have criticised these death tolls, which remain lower even than those given by Iranian authorities. This conservative estimate is linked to the verification process used by these two NGOs.

"It should be noted that the total figure is an absolute minimum,” clarified Iran Human Rights in their latest report from January 14, which contains data from only 15 of Iran’s 31 provinces.

Jennifer Connet, a Senior Legal Advisor with HRANA, explained how they gathered their numbers:
\

The figures we post should be understood as minimums, not estimates of the full scale of harm. These figures only reflect cases that have been independently verified through primary sources, which is a process that takes additional time, particularly given the extent of cases to verify in this situation and the internet blackout that is compromising information flow.

[We confirm] that each of the [...] confirmed deaths is individually identified and verified through primary sources inside Iran. The '[...] under investigation' refers to cases that are in the process of being independently verified.

In its latest report, published on January 20, HRANA specified that 9,049 additional deaths were currently under investigation. If verified, the death toll would increase significantly.

Aside from being provisional, the death toll is also incomplete because of the difficulty of accessing information on the ground due to the regime’s internet shutdown. For nearly two weeks, Iranian authorities have been blocking internet access in a large swathe of the country, preventing people from using messaging services or calls using the internet. Connet explained:
\
In response to the information vacuum, HRANA issued a public call via telegram urging citizens, eyewitnesses, and individuals with access to reliable documents, images and videos to participate in the independent documentation of the protests.

The internet shutdown poses serious obstacles to documentation and verification. HRA maintains deep concern regarding the internet blackout, which not only violates the right of Iranians to access information but cuts 90 million plus people off from the outside world and facilitates impunity for the continued excessive use of force against protesters, by enabling the concealment of violence and repression.

"We’ve noticed a significant decline in contact in recent days, which corresponds with the severity of communications restrictions,” she added. “However, even during this same period, we have been able to maintain limited contact thanks to more stable but less sophisticated forms of communication, like phone calls with our established contacts.”

Whatever the final death toll, the crackdown on this opposition movement has been historic in comparison to previous protests against the regime.

Around 500 protesters were killed in the 2022 protests in support of Mahsa Amini, who was killed by the morality police after being arrested for “wearing inappropriate clothing”.

This is a translation of the original article in French.

'Khamenei is scared of Trump,' exiled

Iranian activist Masih Alinejad says

Issued on: 21/01/2026
FRANCE24

Play (11:56 min)

In an interview with FRANCE 24, Iranian women's rights activist and journalist Masih Alinejad said Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei "is scared of" US President Donald Trump and called for the Iranian leader's targeted killing. "Kill Ali Khamenei the way that you kill[ed] Qassem Soleimani," she said, referring to the US assassination of the top Iranian commander in 2020 during Trump's first term in office.

Iran has just seen several weeks of protests, to which authorities responded with an "unprecedented massacre," according to Amnesty International. Activists say several thousands of people have been killed, although the exact death toll could be much higher.

"I strongly believe that people are still angry and the next wave (of protests) will be much heavier" given the brutality of the crackdown, Alinejad said.

Speaking from New York, Alinejad appealed directly to Trump: "You have promised Iranians several times that if the regime start killing them, then you will protect Iranians. The time has come." She cited the regime's suspension of 800 executions as proof that it fears Trump, urging him to unite G7 leaders to take action.

On January 13, Trump urged Iranians to keep protesting, saying "help is on the way."

WATCH MORE Iranian women on the frontline of protests

Alinejad recalled meeting French President Emmanuel Macron back in 2022, when she urged him to shut down Iran's embassy in France. "When their language towards their own people is guns and bullets, they should not enjoy the privilege of diplomacy on your own soil," she told him.

Macron replied that "France is all about diplomacy", Alinejad recalled. To which she responded: "You're wrong, Mr. President. France is also about revolution. The French Revolution inspired millions of Iranians."

BY:
Marc Perelman
Sophian Aubin

THE GRIFT

Who is joining Donald Trump's 'Board of Peace'?

AUTOCRATS, ARISTOCRATS & AUTHORITARIANS JOIN THE FASCIST INTERNATIONAL

Issued on: 22/01/2026 - FRANCE24

US President Donald Trump has signed the founding charter of “Board of Peace” at Davos. The Board will be indefinitely chaired by Trump, who will have “exclusive authority to create, modify or dissolve subsidiary entities”. Here's who is participating.

Video by: Elitsa GADEVA

About 30 countries expected to join Trump's 'Board of Peace'
Issued on: 22/01/2026
US President Donald Trump has unveiled his “Board of Peace,” a $1 billion initiative aimed at resolving international conflicts through permanent membership. Initially designed to oversee Gaza’s reconstruction, a draft of the board’s charter suggests its mandate could extend beyond the Palestinian territory. France24 Senior reporter James André shares his insights.
Video by: James ANDRE

Trump launches 'Board of Peace' at Davos signing ceremony

By Aleksandar Brezar

Published on 22/01/2026 - EURONEWS

The board originated in the US president's 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan endorsed by the UN Security Council, but has expanded far beyond its initial mandate.

US President Donald Trump signed the charter to formally launch his "Board of Peace" initiative in Davos on Thursday, calling it a "very exciting day, long in the making".

"We're going to have peace in the world," Trump announced. "And we're all stars."

"Just one year ago the world was actually on fire, a lot of people didn't know it," Trump said in his opening speech. Yet "many good things are happening" and the threats around the world "are really calming down," the US president said.

Flanked by leaders of the board's founding member countries — including Argentinian President Javier Milei and Hungarian Premier Viktor Orbán — Trump also praised the work of his administration, "settling eight wars," and added that "a lot of progress" has been made toward ending Russia's all-out war in Ukraine.

He then took a moment to thank the heads of state in attendance. "We are truly honoured by your presence today,” Trump said, stating they were "in most cases very popular leaders, some cases not so popular.”

"In this group I like every single one of them," Trump quipped.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio was next to praise the Board of Peace as “a group of leaders that is about action” and credited Trump for bringing it together.

“He’s not limited by some of the things that have happened in the past, and he’s willing to talk to or engage with anyone in the interest of peace,” Rubio said.

Rubio stressed the body’s job “first and foremost” is “making sure that this peace deal in Gaza becomes enduring.” Then, Rubio said, it can look elsewhere.

With details of the board’s operations still unclear, Rubio described it as a work in progress.

“Many others who are going to join, you know, others either are not in town today or they have to go through some procedure internally in their own countries, in their own country, because of constitutional limitations, but others will join,” Rubio said.

'Most prestigious board ever'

Trump has previously described the newly-formed body as potentially the "most prestigious board ever formed."

The project originated in his 20-point Gaza ceasefire plan endorsed by the UN Security Council but has expanded far beyond its initial mandate.

Approximately 35 nations had committed to joining while 60 received invitations, according to Trump administration officials. The president suggested the board could eventually assume UN functions or render the world body obsolete.

"We have a lot of great people that want to join," Trump said during a Wednesday meeting with Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah el-Sisi, whose country confirmed membership.

Some leaders required parliamentary approval before committing, while uninvited nations were asking to be included, according to Trump.

Trump also defended inviting Russia's Vladimir Putin — who said he was consulting with "strategic partners" over Moscow's involvement — and strongman figures such as Belarus' Aliaksandr Lukashenka, saying he wanted "everybody" who was powerful and could "get the job done".

Several European allies declined participation. Norway, Sweden and France rejected invitations, with French officials expressing concern that the board might replace the UN as the world's main venue for conflict resolution, while affirming support for the Gaza peace plan itself.

Slovenian Prime Minister Robert Golob said "the time has not yet come to accept the invitation," citing worries the mandate was overly broad and could undermine international order based on the UN Charter, according to STA news agency.

Canada, Ukraine and China had not indicated their positions. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to join on Wednesday.

The UK said it would not sign the treaty at Trump's ceremony over concerns regarding the invitation to Putin, British Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper said.

One billion dollar fee

Countries seeking permanent membership face a $1 billion contribution fee, with Trump designated as permanent chairman even after leaving office, according to a copy of the charter obtained by media outlets. Non-paying members would have a three-year mandate.

Trump's peace initiative follows threats of military action against Iran this month during violent government crackdowns on large street protests that killed thousands. The president signalled no new strikes after receiving assurances that Tehran would not execute detained protesters.

Trump argued his aggressive Iran approach, including June strikes on nuclear facilities, proved essential for achieving the Israel-Hamas ceasefire. Iran served as Hamas' primary backer, providing hundreds of millions in military aid, weapons, training and financial support over the years.

"If we didn't do that, there was no chance of making peace," Trump said.

Meanwhile, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Davos on Thursday morning with Trump expressing frustration with both Zelenskyy and Putin over their inability to end the nearly four-year w

"I believe they're at a point now where they can come together and get a deal done," Trump said. "And if they don't, they're stupid — that goes for both of them."

Donald Trump’s ‘board of peace’ looks like a privatised UN with one shareholder: the US president

The US president claims to have ended eight wars.

Steve Travelguide/Alamy Live News

January 21, 2026
THE CONVERSATION

It is hard to believe that Donald Trump has only been back in the White House for a year. His accomplishments are many – but most of them are of questionable durability or benefit, including for the United States.

Even his UN-endorsed 20-point ceasefire and transition plan for Gaza released on September 29 2025 is now in danger of being subsumed in yet another grandiose fantasy of the American president: the so-called “board of peace” to be chaired by Trump.

This group of international dignitaries was originally intended to oversee the work of a more technical committee, comprising technocrats responsible for the day-to-day recovery and rebuilding of Gaza. But the board of peace’s charter makes no mention of Gaza at all.

Instead, its opening sentence declares that “durable peace requires pragmatic judgment, common-sense solutions, and the courage to depart from approaches and institutions that have too often failed”.

To make this break with such an unseemly past, the board of peace proclaims itself to be “an international organization” to “secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict” and commits to conducting its operations “in accordance with international law”.

To which the immediate reaction is that unilateralism is increasingly the hallmark of Trump’s second administration. Settling conflicts is the prerogative of the UN. And, over the past year, the US has shown itself to be unconcerned about international law.

Membership of the board is by invitation from the chairman: Donald Trump – who has broad and flexible discretion on how long he will serve for and who will replace him when he does decide to go. Those invited can join for free for three years and buy themselves a permanent seat at the table for US$1 billion (£740 million) – in cash, payable in the first year.

With Trump retaining significant power over the direction of the board and many of its decisions it is not clear what US$1 billion would exactly buy the permanent members of the board – except perhaps a chance to ingratiate themselves with Trump.

There is no question that established institutions have often failed to achieve durable peace. Among such institutions, the UN has been a favourite target for Trump’s criticism and disdain, as evident in a recent directive to cease participating in and funding 31 UN organisations. Among them were the peace-building commission and the peace-building fund, as well as office of the special representative for children in armed conflict.

Is this the end for the United Nations?

The deeper and more tragic irony in this is threefold. First, there is strong evidence that the UN is effective as peace builder, especially after civil war, and that UN peacekeeping does work to keep the peace.

Second, there is no question that the UN does not always succeed in its efforts to achieve peace. But this is as much, if not more often, the fault of its member states.

There’s a long history of UN member states blocking security council resolutions, providing only weak mandates or cutting short the duration of UN missions. They have also obstructed operations on the ground, as is evident in the protracted crisis in Sudan, where the UN endlessly debates human suffering but lacks most of the funds to alleviate it.

Third, even though he is unlikely to ever admit it publicly, Trump by now has surely found out for himself that making peace is neither easy nor straightforward despite his claim to have solved eight conflicts.

And the more so if the “pragmatic judgement” and “commonsense solutions” that the charter to his board of peace subscribe to end up being, as seems likely, little more than a thin disguise for highly transactional deals designed to prioritise profitable returns for an America-first agenda.

The charter of the board of peace says nothing about Gaza.

\Omar Ashtawy apa

Part of the reason why the UN has success as a peacemaker and peacebuilder is the fact that it is still seen as relatively legitimate. This is something that is unlikely to be immediately associated with Trump or his board of peace if it ever takes off.

Such scepticism appears well founded, particularly considering that among the invitees to join the board is the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, who is not particularly well known for his love of peace. Even Trump, on rare occasions, admittedly, seems to have come to this realisation. But it did not stop him from inviting Putin to join the board of peace.

What’s in it for Trump?

So, what to make of it all? Is it just another of Trump’s controversial initiatives that he hopes might eventually earn him the Nobel peace prize after all? Is it merely a money-making opportunity for Trump personally, or is it designed for his political and corporate allies, who might benefit from projects implemented by his board of peace? Ultimately, it might be any of these.

The real question needs to be about the consequences for the current system. What Trump is effectively proposing is to set up a corporate version of the UN, controlled and run by him. That he is capable of such a proposal should not come as a shock after 12 months of Trump 2.0.

More surprising is the notion that other political leaders will support it. This is one of the few opportunities they have to stop him in his tracks. It would not be a cost-free response, as the French president, Emmanuel Macron, has found when he did not appear sufficiently enthusiastic and Trump threatened the immediate imposition of 200% tariffs on French wine.

But more leaders should consider whether they really want to be Trump’s willing executioners when it comes to the UN and instead imagine, to paraphrase a well-known anti-war slogan, what would happen if Trump “gave a board of peace and no one came?”

Author

Stefan Wolff
Professor of International Security, University of Birmingham
Disclosure statement
Stefan Wolff is a past recipient of grant funding from the Natural Environment Research Council of the UK, the United States Institute of Peace, the Economic and Social Research Council of the UK, the British Academy, the NATO Science for Peace Programme, the EU Framework Programmes 6 and 7 and Horizon 2020, as well as the EU's Jean Monnet Programme. He is a Trustee and Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association of the UK and a Senior Research Fellow at the Foreign Policy Centre in London.

Trump charges $1 billion for permanent seat on ~~Gaza~~ ‘Board of Peace’, invites Russia’s Putin

A permanent seat on US President Donald Trump's "Board of Peace" aimed at resolving conflicts will cost countries $1 billion each, according to its charter. Invited world leaders include Russian President Vladimir Putin, Hungarian premier Viktor Orban and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Issued on: 19/01/2026 -
By: FRANCE 24

President Donald Trump at his Mar-a-Lago Club in Palm Beach, Florida, Friday on January 16, 2026. © Julia Demaree Nikhinson, AP
01:52

US President Donald Trump's government has asked countries to pay $1 billion for a permanent spot on his "Board of Peace" aimed at resolving conflicts, according to its charter, seen Monday by AFP.

The White House has asked various world leaders to sit on the board, chaired by Trump himself, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, Hungarian premier Viktor Orban and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.

Member countries – represented on the board by their head of state – would be allowed to join for three years – or longer if they paid more than $1.0 billion within the first year, the charter says.

"Each Member State shall serve a term of no more than three years from this Charter's entry into force, subject to renewal by the Chairman," the board's draft charter says.

"The three-year membership term shall not apply to Member States that contribute more than USD $1,000,000,000 in cash funds to the Board of Peace within the first year of the Charter's entry into force."

The board was originally conceived to oversee the rebuilding of Gaza, but its charter does not appear to limit its role to the occupied Palestinian territory.

The White House said there would be a main board, a Palestinian committee of technocrats meant to govern devastated Gaza, and a second "executive board" that appears designed to have a more advisory role.

"The Board of Peace is an international organization that seeks to promote stability, restore dependable and lawful governance, and secure enduring peace in areas affected or threatened by conflict," the charter says.

'Failed institutions'

It appears to take a swipe at international institutions such as the United Nations, saying that the board should have "the courage to depart from approaches and institutions that have too often failed."

Trump has regularly criticized the United Nations and announced this month that his country will withdraw from 66 global organizations and treaties – roughly half affiliated with the UN.

Membership of the board would be "limited to States invited to participate by the Chairman," according to the draft charter.

Trump would have the power to remove member states from the board, subject to a veto by two-third of members, and choose his replacement should he leave his role as chairman.

The "Board of Peace" began to take shape on Saturday when the leaders of Egypt, Turkey, Argentina and Canada were asked to join.

Trump also named as members Secretary of State Marco Rubio, former British prime minister Tony Blair, senior negotiator Steve Witkoff and his son-in-law Jared Kushner.

Israel has objected to the line-up of a "Gaza executive board" to operate under the body, which includes Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Qatari diplomat Ali Al-Thawadi.

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)

Will Trump's 'board of peace' ~~in Gaza~~ really rival the UN?

Issued on: 20/01/2026

FRANCE24

Play (05:22 min)

PRESS REVIEW – Tuesday, January 20: Donald Trump's "board of peace" in Gaza aims to oversee the peace process between Israel and Hamas, but critics say he intends to create a rival body to the UN. Also, the Italian dailies pay tribute to the "ultimate emperor" of Italian fashion, Valentino, who has died aged 93. The Beckham family's disputes are the focus of the British tabloids. Finally, an Austrian cow proves that the animals are extremely intelligent.

We begin with Donald Trump's so-called board of peace in Gaza. Officially, the board aims to oversee the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in Gaza, as The New York Times reports. Trump sent out letters of invitations last week to "historically close" US allies like Canada and France, but also Russia and Belarus. The charter of the board indicated a desire to get involved in all types of global conflicts, beyond just Gaza. As the Times notes, this is why critics fear the board is set up to rival the UN. So far, only a handful of Trump-allied countries have RSVPd positively.

There is a catch, of course. Countries that agree to join the board can serve for three years, but that can be permanent if they agree to pay $1 billion in cash to the board. The Wall Street Journal calls it Trump’s "One-billion-dollar diplomacy club." The charter doesn't say how these funds will be used and by whom. But of course, Trump would have overriding powers to veto and revoke membership. Despite overseeing Gaza, the board does not have any Palestinian members yet. French President Emmanuel Macron says France doesn't plan to join. This prompted Trump to threaten a 200 percent tax on French champagne and wine. The Guardian's Owen Jones is outraged about the council, which he calls an "appalling neocolonial project". The fact that not a single seat is reserved for a Palestinian, he says, shows that Trump aims to play the role of "Gaza’s emperor."

We move on to a man the Italian dailies are calling an emperor: fashion designer Valentino Garavani, who has passed away in Rome at 93. Valentino was known mononymously and dressed royals, Hollywood stars and first ladies. The tributes are pouring in for a man who defined Italian fashion. La Repubblica calls him the "ultimate emperor." Il Giornale calls him "Saint Valentino" and bids adieu to a "man who defined style." "Red Paradise," La Stampa says, alluding to the colour that defined Valentino and his designs, even becoming known for the Valentino Rosso shade. Il Messagero says "Roma in the world". Valentino set up his fashion house in the Italian capital in 1960.

Next, there's trouble in paradise for the Beckham family, whose family spats are playing out in the British tabloids. Brooklyn Beckham, the eldest son of David and Victoria Beckham, broke his silence on social media about a growing rift within his family. He laid it on thick and fast and has disowned his parents, the Daily Star reports. He accused his parents of being obsessed with the family name and publicity, accused his mother of being too controlling, of disrespecting his wife, of humiliating him during his wedding and of trying to bribe him to sign away the rights to his family name. The tirade is as extraordinary as it is rare these days. "Brooklyn goes nuclear," the Daily Mail says on its front page

Finally, scientists are astounded by a discovery about the intelligence of cows and they can thank Veronika, a beautiful brown cow living peacefully in the Austrian Alps. She recently demonstrated an "impressive and until now undocumented" knack for tool use, the Guardian reports. Veronika was observed using a stick to scratch her back – this tool use was previously only seen in humans and chimpanzees. Researchers discovered that she could also pick up a broom and wield it according to the job at hand. It's proof that cows are much more intelligent than we give them credit for!

BY: Dheepthika LAURENT

VIDEO BY: Dheepthika LAURENT

LA REVUE GAUCHE - Left Comment