Palestine: Israeli squatters murder American

Source: San Diego Union-Tribune

“Clashes in the Israeli-occupied West Bank killed a 19-year-old Palestinian-American man late Wednesday night, the Palestinian Health Ministry said. The ministry said Nasrallah Muhammad Jamal Abu Siyam was shot by [squatters] in the village of Mukhmas, north of Jerusalem. The Israeli military said soldiers responded to a violent confrontation in the area and attempted to disperse a riot. The military said that suspects shot at several Palestinians, who were evacuated for medical treatment.Abu Siyam’s mother told The Associated Press that he also held American citizenship. The U.S. Embassy did not respond to requests for comment Thursday.” (02/19/26)

https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/02/19/west-bank-palestinian-american-killed/

Iran: Regime issues NOTAM amid tensions with US; pilots advised to steer clear as Islamic Republic plans rocket launches

Source: mint [India]

“Iran issued a notice to airmen (NOTAM) on Thursday, warning of potential rocket activity in the airspace. It was issued amid escalating tensions with the US, which has deployed warships near the Islamic Republic. US Vice President JD Vance reportedly said Washington was weighing whether to continue diplomatic engagement with Tehran or pursue other options. According to the alert, pilots are advised to avoid flying between ground level and Flight Level 100 in the affected region due to safety risks linked to possible launches, as shown by the Flightradar24 tracker. The NOTAM mentioned that Iran has planned rocket launches in areas across its south on Thursday from 330 GMT to 1330 GMT, news agency Reuters reported, citing the US Federal Aviation Administration website.” (02/19/26)

https://www.livemint.com/news/world/iran-issues-notam-amid-tensions-with-us-pilots-advised-to-steer-clear-as-islamic-republic-plans-rocket-launches-11771496929512.html

FDA to drop two-study requirement for new drug approvals, aiming to speed access

Source: SFGate

“The Food and Drug Administration plans to drop its longtime standard of requiring two rigorous studies to win approval for new drugs, the latest change from Trump administration officials vowing to speed up the availability of certain medical products. Going forward, the FDA’s ‘default position’ will be to require one study for new drugs and other novel health products, FDA Commissioner Dr. Marty Makary and a top deputy, Dr. Vinay Prasad, wrote in a New England Journal of Medicine piece published Wednesday. The announcement is the latest example of Makary and his team changing longstanding FDA standards and procedures with the stated goal of slashing bureaucracy and accelerating the availability of new medicines. Since arriving at the agency last April, Makary has launched a series of directives that he says will shorten FDA reviews, including mandating the use of artificial intelligence by staffers and offering one-month drug assessments for new medications that serve ‘national interests.'” (02/19/26)

https://www.sfgate.com/business/article/fda-will-drop-two-study-requirement-for-new-drug-21361231.php

Peru: Balcázar becomes eighth president in a decade

Source: Associated Press

“Peru’s Congress late Wednesday elected legislator José María Balcázar as the country’s eighth president in a decade, replacing another interim leader who was ousted the previous day over corruption allegations just four months into his term. Balcázar, an 83-year-old former judge representing the leftist Perú Libre party, defeated three other candidates with a majority of the 130-member legislature. The revolving-door presidency in Peru reflects a political crisis fueled by a lack of legislative majorities for leaders. Lawmakers have frequently used a broad interpretation of a constitutional article regarding ‘permanent moral incapacity’ to remove sitting presidents.” (02/19/26)

https://apnews.com/article/peru-president-congress-interim-election-c6f1e2d6c061ea8ba1cb0f4f467609bc

Gates pulls out of India’s AI summit over Epstein files controversy

Source: BBC News [UK State Media]

“Bill Gates will not deliver his keynote address at the India AI Impact Summit in Delhi, his philanthropic organisation said hours before the Microsoft co-founder was due to speak. The Gates Foundation said the decision was made after ‘careful consideration’ and ‘to ensure the focus remains on the [summit’s] key priorities’, but did not elaborate. Gates’s withdrawal comes amid a controversy over his ties to the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein after he was named in new files released by the US Department of Justice in January. Gates’s spokesperson has called the claims in the files ‘absolutely absurd and completely false’, and the billionaire has said he regretted spending time with Epstein. Gates has not been accused of wrongdoing by any of Epstein’s victims and the appearance of his name in the files does not imply criminal activity of any kind.” (02/19/26)

https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c309qv9zglno

WA: Supreme Court says frivolous litigants can pursue money grab from Amazon for selling stuff

Source: US News & World Report

“The ⁠Washington ⁠Supreme Court ruled ⁠unanimously on Thursday that ​Amazon.com must face lawsuits brought by ‌families with relatives ‌who took their own ⁠lives ⁠by consuming sodium nitrite they bought on ​the online retailer’s platform. It rejected a lower court’s ruling that the ​families could not pursue negligence claims ⁠under ⁠a Washington state ⁠product ​liability law, because suicide was a superseding ​cause ⁠of their relatives’ deaths. … They said the Seattle-based retailer has known of the link between sodium nitrite and suicide for years yet continued to sell the product ⁠without restrictions.” [editor’s note: The people who killed themselves had every right to do so. They were not their relatives’ property – TLK] (02/19/26)

https://www.usnews.com/news/top-news/articles/2026-02-19/amazon-can-be-sued-over-suicides-linked-to-sodium-nitrite-court-rules

MN: Judge holds ICE gang lawyer in contempt

Source: KMSP 9 News

“For the first time during Operation Metro Surge, a federal judge has imposed stiff consequences on a government attorney for ICE’s violation of a court order related to the release of a detained immigrant. Judge Laura Provinzino found Special Assistant United States Attorney Matthew Isihara in civil contempt during a Wednesday afternoon hearing. Judge Provinzino issued a civil contempt order against Isihara in a habeas case, ordering daily fines of $500. She said her goal is to ensure the government complies with her orders regarding a detained Mexican immigrant from Big Lake, Minnesota. … Isihara blamed a massive caseload and ‘not enough staff’ in the U.S. Attorney’s office to handle all the civil litigation connected to Operation Metro Surge.” (02/18/26)

https://www.fox9.com/news/federal-judge-holds-government-attorney-contempt-violation-court-order

Trump heads to Georgia after securing Board of Peace bribes

Source: SFGate

“President Donald Trump announced Thursday at the inaugural Board of Peace meeting that nine members have agreed to pledge a combined $7 billion toward a Gaza relief package, while five countries have agreed to deploy troops to take part in an international stabilization force to the war-battered Palestinian territory. But $7 billion is only a fraction of the estimated $70 billion needed to rebuild Gaza, where a shaky ceasefire deal looms over Trump’s ambitions for his board to rival the United Nations in solving world conflicts. Trump also announced the U.S. was pledging $10 billion for the Board of Peace but didn’t specify what the money will be used for. Instead, the president is turning his focus to domestic issues: In an hour, he’ll arrive in Georgia for a trip designed to help boost Republicans’ political standing heading into the midterms.” (02/19/26)

https://www.sfgate.com/news/article/the-latest-trump-convenes-his-board-of-peace-21362391.php

Fine Arts Commission approves Trump’s ballroom plan

Source: United Press International

“The Commission of Fine Arts has unanimously approved plans for President Donald Trump’s almost 90,000-square-foot White House ballroom plans, the first hurdle in starting the building project. The commission, whose members were all appointed by Trump, including his executive assistant, Chamberlain Harris, 26. The original architect of the ballroom recused himself from the vote. Trump fired all the previous members in October. But now, the project must win approval from the National Capital Planning Commission, which could vote on March 5.” (02/19/26)

https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2026/02/19/fine-arts-commission-trump-ballroom-plan/1711771522835/

UN Report: Israeli Forces and Hamas Committed Atrocity Crimes in Gaza

Source: US News & World Report

“Israeli forces, Hamas and other Palestinian ⁠armed ⁠groups have both committed serious violations of international ⁠humanitarian law in Gaza and carried out atrocity crimes, a U.N. report published on Thursday said. Intensified Israeli ​attacks and the forcible transfer of Palestinians appeared aimed at a permanent demographic shift in Gaza ‘raising concerns over ethnic cleansing,’ the report by the U.N. human ‌rights office said. The holding and mistreatment of ‌hostages by the Hamas Islamist militant group may amount to war crimes, it said.” (02/19/26)

https://www.usnews.com/news/world/articles/2026-02-19/israeli-forces-and-hamas-committed-atrocity-crimes-in-gaza-un-report-says