Author: Prima News

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio sought to rally support for an ongoing ceasefire in the besieged Gaza Strip, telling member states of President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace that “there is no plan B.” “We have to get this right. There is no plan B for Gaza. Plan B is going back to war. No one here wants that,” Rubio said as leaders and senior officials assembled for the board’s inaugural meeting. “Plan A, the only path forward, is one that rebuilds Gaza in a way of enduring and sustainable peace, where everyone can live there, side by side…

FIFA President Gianni Infantino announced a “true partnership” between the world soccer governing body and the Board of Peace on Thursday, outlining plans for major soccer infrastructure projects in the Gaza Strip aimed at rebuilding communities through sport. Describing soccer as a unifying global force, Infantino at the inaugural Board of Peace meeting in Washington, DC said: “First point: football, or soccer as it’s called here, is the world’s universal language. It is spoken by 6 billion people, 6 billion fans who have the same feelings.” “It’s about hope, it’s about joy, it’s about happiness. It’s about coming together, and…

U.S. President Donald Trump told the first meeting of his Board of Peace on Thursday that nations had contributed $7 billion to a Gaza reconstruction fund that aims to rebuild the enclave once Hamas disarms, an objective that is far from becoming a reality. The disarmament of Hamas militants and accompanying withdrawal of Israeli troops, the size of the reconstruction fund and the flow of humanitarian aid to the war-battered populace of Gaza are among the major questions likely to test the effectiveness of the board in the months ahead. The meeting in Washington came amid a broader push by Trump to build a reputation as…

King Charles’ younger brother Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was released from police custody on Thursday evening after being arrested on suspicion of misconduct in public office over allegations he sent confidential government documents to Jeffrey Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor, who turned 66 on Thursday, had been questioned all day by detectives from Thames Valley Police. Earlier this month, the police force said it was looking into allegations that he had passed documents to the late convicted sex offender while working as a trade envoy. The arrest of the senior royal, eighth in line to the throne, is unprecedented in modern times. “I have learned with the…

A Tunisian court on Thursday sentenced lawmaker Ahmed Saidani to eight months in prison over social media posts mocking President Kais Saied, a ruling that opponents say signals an intensifying crackdown on critics. Once a supporter of Saied’s policies against political opponents, Saidani has become a vocal critic, accusing the president of seeking to monopolise all decision-making while leaving others to bear the blame for problems. The member of parliament was jailed on charges of insulting others through communication networks, a judicial official said. Saidani was arrested this month after he mocked the president in a Facebook post, describing him as…

Gulf countries pledged more than $4 billion in combined financial support to US President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace, as they signaled financial backing for efforts aimed at resolving the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and advancing regional stability. The pledges were announced during the first meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington, where Qatar and Saudi Arabia each committed $1 billion. Kuwait also pledged $1 billion over the coming years, while the United Arab Emirates announced an additional $1.2 billion in support for Gaza through the board. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said Doha “reaffirms its commitment…

Romania’s President Nicusor Dan and Hungary’s Prime Minister Viktor Orban expressed support Thursday for US President Donald Trump’s peace initiative in remarks at the first meeting of the Board of Peace. Dan thanked Trump for his “involvement and leadership” and described the proposed Gaza Strip peace plan as “comprehensive and stable,” while outlining steps Romania could take, particularly in humanitarian and institutional support. “I think everyone desire peace, stability, prosperity in Gaza, but the question is how to act for and that’s why this meeting is and this format, it’s important what Romanian can do first on the humanitarian situation,…

The European Union on Thursday reiterated that Europe must be included in any negotiations on ending the war in Ukraine, amid reports that EU representatives were not formally part of talks held in Geneva. “Nothing can be decided about Ukraine without Europe at the negotiating table,” European Commission spokesperson Anouar El Anouni told reporters at a midday briefing. His remarks came after France, Germany, and Italy along with the United Kingdom sent national security advisers to Geneva on the sidelines of talks involving US, Ukrainian, and Russian representatives. Asked whether the European Commission had been informed about the outcome of…

The European Council chief on Thursday called for the EU to formally open membership negotiations with Ukraine “as soon as possible,” praising Kyiv’s reforms despite the nearly four-year-old war. “We want … as soon as possible (that) we could formally open (Ukraine’s) negotiations and to move forward on this,” said Antonio Costa. “I cannot say if it is in 2027 or even in 2026 or later, but what is important is we cannot lose the momentum.” He also lauded Ukraine’s efforts to implement deep reforms under wartime conditions, describing them as “very impressive” and crucial for stabilizing the country and…