“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)
“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)
“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)
“Former New York City Police Department (NYPD) Chief John Chell blasted New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani for walking back the planned hiring of 5,000 more police officers amid a city budget shortfall of billions of dollars, calling it a ‘recipe for disaster.’ Mamdani’s predecessor, Mayor Eric Adams, proposed at the end of his term that the city hire 5,000 more NYPD officers. Upon entering office, Mamdani moved to cancel all orders signed by Adams after his Sept. 26, 2024, indictment, including the proposed NYPD personnel increase. Under Adams'[s] plan, the NYPD would gradually hire more officers over the coming years, ultimately allowing the NYPD to deploy around 40,000 officers to the streets, while Mamdani’s plan caps the number closer to its current level of around 35,000.” (02/19/26)
“Meta is shutting down the standalone Messenger website, according to a company help page. The website will disappear in April, though web users will still be able to send and receive messages within Facebook. … This comes just a few months after Meta shut down Messenger’s standalone desktop apps. At that time, Meta directed existing users to Facebook to continue using the service and not the dedicated Messenger website.” (02/19/26)
“The Republican National Committee is suing to halt a Democratic-backed referendum on redrawing the commonwealth’s congressional map, as both parties wage a mid-decade redistricting fight ahead of November’s midterm elections. The RNC filed its lawsuit Wednesday, after GOP-led Texas began a Trump-urged push last summer to redraw its map to add more Republican seats, kicking off tit-for-tat moves across the country in a fight that could decide control of Congress. The lawsuit seeks emergency injunctive relief to block an April 21 referendum on a proposed amendment to the commonwealth’s Constitution to allow mid-decade redistricting, arguing the legislation Virginia’s General Assembly approved to put the question before voters is invalid and goes against the state’s Constitution.” (02/19/26)
“A large banner featuring Donald Trump’s face was hung on the exterior of Justice Department headquarters on Thursday in a physical display of the Republican president’s efforts to exert power over the law enforcement agency that once investigated him. While Trump banners have been hung outside other agencies across Washington, the decision to place one on the storied Justice Department building amounted to a striking symbol of the erosion of the department’s tradition of independence from White House control. The banner, hung between two columns on one corner of the building, says, ‘Make America Safe Again,’ a slogan used by the administration to tout its efforts to clamp down on illegal immigration and violent crime. Attorney General Pam Bondi has postured herself as the president’s chief supporter and protector, eschewing the approach of predecessors who sought to maintain an arms-length distance from the White House to protect the impartiality of investigations and prosecutions.” (02/19/26)
“U.K. police arrested Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor on Thursday on suspicion of misconduct in public office. Thames Valley Police, an agency that covers areas west of London, including Mountbatten-Windsor’s former home, said it was ‘assessing’ reports that the former Prince Andrew sent trade reports to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein in 2010. The assessment followed the release of millions of pages of documents connected to a U.S. investigation of Epstein. Mountbatten-Windsor features a number of times in the documents. The police force did not name Mountbatten-Windsor, as is normal under U.K. law. But when asked if he had been arrested, the force pointed to a statement saying that they had arrested a man in his 60s. Mountbatten-Windsor is 66.” (02/19/26)
“Former President Yoon Suk Yeol was sentenced to life in prison for his brief imposition of martial law in a dramatic culmination to the country’s biggest political crisis in decades. Yoon fell from office after an ill-advised attempt to overcome an opposition-controlled legislature by declaring martial law and sending troops to surround the legislature on Dec. 3, 2024. Judge Jee Kui-youn said he found Yoon guilty of rebellion for mobilizing military and police forces in an illegal attempt to seize the liberal-led National Assembly, arrest politicians and establish unchecked power for a ‘considerable’ time. Yoon is likely to appeal the verdict.” (02/19/26)
“Ro Khanna (D-Calif.) and Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) are set to compel a vote on their War Powers Resolution, requiring congressional approval for military action against Iran. This move comes in response to reports of a potential U.S.-Israeli strike on Iran, with a 90% likelihood, according to Trump officials cited by Khanna in his X post. On Wednesday, Khanna and Massie announced their plans to force a vote on the bipartisan resolution, which would necessitate congressional authorization for any U.S. military action against Iran.” (02/19/26)
