France Says Won't Join Peace Board for Now, Partly Contrary to UN Charter

France's President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a ministerial meeting on the implementation of the Middle East peace plan at the Quai d'Orsay, in Paris, France October 9, 2025. Thomas Samson/Pool via REUTERS
France's President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a ministerial meeting on the implementation of the Middle East peace plan at the Quai d'Orsay, in Paris, France October 9, 2025. Thomas Samson/Pool via REUTERS
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France Says Won't Join Peace Board for Now, Partly Contrary to UN Charter

France's President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a ministerial meeting on the implementation of the Middle East peace plan at the Quai d'Orsay, in Paris, France October 9, 2025. Thomas Samson/Pool via REUTERS
France's President Emmanuel Macron speaks during a ministerial meeting on the implementation of the Middle East peace plan at the Quai d'Orsay, in Paris, France October 9, 2025. Thomas Samson/Pool via REUTERS

France will not join US President ​Donald Trump's Board of Peace for now because its charter does not correspond with ‌a UN ‌resolution ‌to ⁠resolve the ​war ‌in Gaza, and some of the charter's elements were contrary to the UN charter, ⁠its foreign ministry ‌spokesman said on ‍Thursday, Reuters reported.

"It ‍was not corresponding ‍on the one hand with the pure Gaza mandate, which ​is not even mentioned, and ⁠on the other hand, there are elements of this charter which are contrary to the United Nations charter," Pascal Confavreux told reporters.

According to The AP news, the new peace board was initially envisioned as a small group of world leaders overseeing the ceasefire, but it has morphed into something far more ambitious — and skepticism about its membership and mandate has led some countries usually closest to Washington to take a pass.



Iran Announces Enquiry Team to Investigate Deadly Protests 

Iranians walk on a street in Tehran on February 7, 2026. (AFP)
Iranians walk on a street in Tehran on February 7, 2026. (AFP)
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Iran Announces Enquiry Team to Investigate Deadly Protests 

Iranians walk on a street in Tehran on February 7, 2026. (AFP)
Iranians walk on a street in Tehran on February 7, 2026. (AFP)

The Iranian government announced on Friday the establishment of a commission of enquiry to look into protests against the high cost of living that turned into anti-government rallies that left thousands dead.

"A fact-finding committee has been formed with representatives from relevant institutions and is collecting documents and hearing statements," Iranian government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani told the local news agency ISNA.

The spokeswoman did not specify whether the commission would only focus on the economic demands that triggered the protests, or whether it would also investigate deaths during the protests.

"The final report will be published for public information and further legal action after the process is completed," she stated.

On Thursday, the government website published comments by President Masoud Pezeskhian as saying: "We have assigned teams to investigate the causes (of the unrest)." He did not provide further details.

The protests, which began in late December before escalating on January 8, left more than 3,000 dead, according to the official count.

Iranian authorities claim that the vast majority of victims were security forces or bystanders killed by "terrorists" working for Israel and the United States.

Human rights advocacy groups based outside Iran, however, accuse the security forces of targeting protesters.

The US-based Human Rights Activists News Agency (HRANA) reports that at least 7,005 people were killed during the peak of the protests.

"We are ashamed that such unfortunate events have occurred," Pezeshkian said, according to the report published on the government website.


London's High Court: UK Terror Ban on Pro-Palestine group Unlawful

People protest outside the High Court as judges prepare to rule on a legal challenge to the British government’s decision to designate pro‑Palestinian group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, in London, Britain, February 13, 2026. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
People protest outside the High Court as judges prepare to rule on a legal challenge to the British government’s decision to designate pro‑Palestinian group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, in London, Britain, February 13, 2026. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
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London's High Court: UK Terror Ban on Pro-Palestine group Unlawful

People protest outside the High Court as judges prepare to rule on a legal challenge to the British government’s decision to designate pro‑Palestinian group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, in London, Britain, February 13, 2026. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy
People protest outside the High Court as judges prepare to rule on a legal challenge to the British government’s decision to designate pro‑Palestinian group Palestine Action as a terrorist organisation, in London, Britain, February 13, 2026. REUTERS/Jaimi Joy

The British government's ban on pro-Palestinian campaign group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization is unlawful, London's High Court ‌ruled on Friday ‌after a ‌legal ⁠challenge by the ⁠group's co-founder.

Palestine Action was proscribed in July, having increasingly targeted Israel-linked ⁠defense companies in ‌Britain ‌with "direct action", often ‌blocking entrances, or ‌spraying red paint.

The High Court upheld two grounds ‌of challenge, with Judge Victoria Sharp saying: "Proscription ⁠did ⁠result in a significant interference with the right to freedom of speech and the right to freedom of assembly."

Sharp added that the ban would remain in place to give the parties' lawyers time to address the court on ​the ​next steps.

Earlier this month, six British Palestine Action activists were acquitted of aggravated burglary over a 2024 raid on Israeli defense firm Elbit's factory, with a jury returning no guilty verdicts at all in a blow for prosecutors.


Russian Strikes on Ukrainian Energy and Port Facilities Kill 6

Firefighters work at the site of a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine in this handout picture released February 13, 2026. Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Odesa region/Handout via REUTERS
Firefighters work at the site of a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine in this handout picture released February 13, 2026. Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Odesa region/Handout via REUTERS
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Russian Strikes on Ukrainian Energy and Port Facilities Kill 6

Firefighters work at the site of a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine in this handout picture released February 13, 2026. Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Odesa region/Handout via REUTERS
Firefighters work at the site of a Russian drone strike, amid Russia's attack on Ukraine, in Odesa, Ukraine in this handout picture released February 13, 2026. Press service of the State Emergency Service of Ukraine in Odesa region/Handout via REUTERS

Six people died in Russian strikes across Ukraine overnight that targeted the southern port city of Odesa and energy infrastructure, officials announced on Friday.

Moscow has stepped up its attacks on Ukrainian critical infrastructure in recent weeks despite pressure by the United States to reach a peace deal with Kyiv.

Russia launched one missile and 154 drones overnight, the Ukrainian air force said, warning that some unmanned aerial vehicles were still in Ukrainian airspace as of Friday morning.

Three men and one boy were killed late on Thursday evening in the eastern Ukrainian city of Kramatorsk, AFP quoted local authorities as saying.

Russian forces have been pushing towards the industrial hub -- one of the last remaining civilian centers under Ukrainian control in the Donetsk region.

Ukraine's rights ombudsman said the victims included 19-year-old twins and their eight-year-old brother.

"We are establishing the final consequences of Russian terror," the head of the city's military administration Oleksandr Goncharenko, wrote on social media.

In the Zaporizhzhia region, which the Kremlin claims is part of Russia along with Donetsk, a 48-year-old man was killed in a drone attack, the emergency services said.

The worst damage was reported in the Odesa region, where authorities said one person died in a Russian strike on port infrastructure.

DTEK, Ukraine's largest private energy company, said the attack had inflicted "extremely serious" damage to its energy facilities there.

"It will take a long time to repair the equipment and restore it to working order," the company said.

Some 300,000 people in the Black Sea city had been left without water following overnight attacks a day earlier.