The Trump administration has denied a report that countries would be required to pay $1bn to join a proposed U.S.-backed peace initiative, after Bloomberg News said a draft charter set out a membership fee.
Bloomberg reported on Saturday that the charter envisaged member nations paying $1bn to remain on the so-called Board of Peace. According to the report, Donald Trump would serve as the board’s inaugural chairman, with member states appointed for renewable terms of up to three years.
Reuters said it could not immediately verify the Bloomberg report.
The White House dismissed the claim as "misleading", saying there was no minimum membership fee to join the board.
"This simply offers permanent membership to partner countries who demonstrate deep commitment to peace, security, and prosperity," the White House said in a post on X.
The U.S. State Department referred Reuters to previous social media posts about the board by Trump and his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, which made no reference to any payment requirement.
The Board of Peace is a U.S.-backed initiative announced by Donald Trump as part of a proposal to oversee the temporary governance of Gaza following a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas.
According to U.S. officials, the board would supervise a transitional period in which Gaza would be administered by a Palestinian technocratic body, before potentially expanding its remit to address other international conflicts.
Trump is expected to serve as the board’s inaugural chairman
Invitations have been sent to leaders from several countries, although the White House has said the roles and responsibilities of individual members have not yet been finalised.
The plan has drawn criticism from rights experts and diplomats, who argue that a U.S.-led body overseeing governance in a foreign territory could undermine international norms and existing multilateral frameworks.
Tehran and Washington have settled on a 60-day roadmap aimed at reaching a final deal, mediators Qatar and Pakistan have said. Iran's Foreign Minister...
Three people have been killed and five injured in a school shooting in the central Philippines, police in the country have said. Officers said one sus...
Iran's football team has thanked Los Angeles for its hospitality, after a goalless draw with Belgium kept the side's hopes of reaching the World Cup ...
Right-wing candidate Abelardo De La Espriella has claimed victory in Colombia's presidential election after a closely fought runoff, preliminary resul...
At least fifty-four people have been injured and 18 others remain missing following an explosion at Qatar's main liquefied natural gas (LNG) processin...
Iran's top joint military command, Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, has said that the Strait of Hormuz is closed to ships again, citing alleged violations of a ceasefire agreement by the U.S. and Israel. Lebanon has said Israeli strikes killed 16 people on Saturday.
Pakistan has emerged as a key intermediary in U.S.-Iran diplomacy after months of shuttle talks, draft revisions and regional coordination involving Gulf states and China. An interim understanding has been reached, but officials warn the most difficult phase of negotiations still lies ahead.
A war of words has erupted between Italy’s Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni and Donald Trump after the U.S. President told Italian media that Meloni “begged” to take a photograph with him at the G7 summit earlier this week.
Russia's defence ministry says its forces have captured the village of Yurkivka in Ukraine's eastern Donetsk region, according to the Interfax news agency. The claim could not be independently verified.
A train driver has been killed and nine people remain in a critical condition in hospital, after two trains collided near Beford in the east of England on Friday. The passenger trains heading to London collided at around 17:15 local time (1615 GMT).
Morocco captain and PSG defender Achraf Hakimi will face trial in France after an appeals court ruled there was enough evidence for the case to proceed.
A magnitude 5.8 earthquake struck southwest of Greece’s island of Crete on Saturday, with no immediate reports of damage.
Paraguay kept their World Cup hopes alive with a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Türkiye, but the celebrations were tempered by a costly red card for veteran forward Miguel Almirón.
One person has died after two freight trains collided on a bridge in Munich in the early hours of Saturday, causing two carriages to derail and crash onto the street below, German police said.
Three people have been killed and five injured in a school shooting in the central Philippines, police in the country have said. Officers said one suspect has been arrested, while another remains at large.
Right-wing candidate Abelardo De La Espriella has claimed victory in Colombia's presidential election after a closely fought runoff, preliminary results showed on Sunday.
Britain will invest £50 million ($66 million) to expand domestic production of critical minerals, as part of efforts to reduce dependence on global supply chains and strengthen economic resilience, the government said on Monday.
A widespread heatwave swept across much of Europe, pushing temperatures close to 40°C and triggering red alerts, transport disruption and growing pressure on health systems, infrastructure and wildlife during the summer solstice period.
More than 41 million Colombians headed to the polls on Sunday to decide whether the country will continue the left-wing policies of President Gustavo Petro or elect conservative outsider Abelardo De La Espriella in a closely watched presidential runoff.
You can download the AnewZ application from Play Store and the App Store.
What is your opinion on this topic?
Leave the first comment