03 World

Paris prosecutors open 2 Epstein-linked probes and call on victims to come forward– abcnews.com

pgnewser February 18, 2026 0

Blurb:

PARIS — Paris prosecutors opened on Wednesday two new investigations into potential sex abuse crimes and financial wrongdoings linked to Jeffrey Epstein following the release of millions of files of the millionaire financier and convicted sex offender, and called on possible victims to come forward.

Paris prosecutor Laurence Beccuau said the investigations are seeking to use the files released by the U.S. administration, media reports and new complaints that are being filed.

“All that data … some will shed light on others to be able to get a well-informed, very broad, panoramic view,” Beccuau said on France Info news broadcaster.

Trump unveils critical minerals, 2 other investment projects with Japan– japantoday.com

pgnewser February 18, 2026 0

Blurb:

U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration said Tuesday that Japan will finance the production of synthetic diamonds and two energy projects worth about $36 billion as the initial tranche of investments under a deal reached last year following months of tariff negotiations.

Trump’s announcement that the three projects had been selected, as part of a $550 billion package that Japan committed to in exchange for his administration reducing tariffs on Japanese cars and other goods, was confirmed hours later by Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi.

“These projects are so large, and could not be done without one very special word, TARIFFS,” Trump wrote on his Truth Social platform. “America is building again. America is producing again. And America is WINNING again.”

Japan exports growth surges nearly 17% in January as shipments to China surge– www.cnbc.com

pgnewser February 18, 2026 0

Blurb:

Japanese exports climbed 16.8% year on year in January, sharply beating market expectations and growing at their fastest rate since November 2022 as shipments to Asia and Western Europe surged, government data on Wednesday showed.

Growth was higher than December’s 5.1%, and beat Reuters-polled economists’ estimates of 12%.

Value of exports to China, Japan’s largest trading partner, jumped 32%, after rising 5.6% in December at a time when the two countries are locked in a diplomatic standoff over Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi’s comments over Taiwan.

German public broadcaster ZDF apologizes after AI-generated ICE arrest footage aired on flagship news program– rmx.news

pgnewser February 18, 2026 0

Blurb:

German public broadcaster ZDF has issued an on-air apology after its flagship news program, Heute Journal, aired a segment containing AI-generated footage depicting U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officers arresting a migrant family.

The controversy followed the Feb. 15 broadcast, which ZDF said examined fears in parts of the United States over immigration enforcement operations. Viewers quickly noted on social media that portions of the footage were artificially generated, with an OpenAI Sora watermark visible on screen.

 

The Age of AI Depends Less on Voters than on Volts | American Enterprise Institute– www.aei.org

pgnewser February 18, 2026 0

Blurb:

No AI data centers, no AI revolution.

Or to be less dramatic, slowing the buildout of these sprawling server farms will slow technical advances and the economywide spread of generative artificial intelligence, which is shaping up to be a powerful new general-purpose technology. As such, a new survey from Politico suggests Silicon Valley shouldn’t take voter tolerance for granted.

Let’s start with the good news for AI companies: Just 28 percent of 2,000 surveyed would oppose the building of a new data center in their area. That, versus 37 percent who would support construction and 28 percent who would neither support nor oppose.

Canada can’t be ‘naive’ to China’s transnational repression threat: report – National– globalnews.ca

pgnewser February 18, 2026 0

Blurb:

Researchers behind a new report on transnational repression are warning Canada must not be “naïve” as it seeks better relations with China, which remains a top perpetrator in intimidating and harassing dissidents abroad.

The report by the Montreal Institute for Global Security (MIGS) called transnational repression “one of the most serious yet least understood threats to security and democracy in Canada,” and said China remains a leader in such efforts.

It cited several examples, including so-called “police stations” and online influence campaigns targeting Chinese Canadian diaspora communities. Families still living in China have been threatened, the report adds, and women have been targeted with sexual AI deepfakes.

Epstein survivor Juliette Bryant says she was trafficked from South Africa and soon realized it was “not a modeling opportunity, I’ve been kidnapped”– www.cbsnews.com

pgnewser February 18, 2026 0

Blurb:

Juliette Bryant says she first met Jeffrey Epstein when she was a 20-year-old psychology and philosophy student in Cape Town, South Africa, who modeled part time.

Her first interaction with the late American sex offender came by chance, when she was approached on a night out by a girl who offered to introduce her to a man who she said was described to her as American royalty.

“She said she knew a man who was here who was the ‘King Of America,’ and he was here with Bill Clinton and Kevin Spacey and Chris Tucker. She told me that his best friend Leslie Wexner owns Victoria’s Secret and it would be a very good idea for me to meet them because it could possibly help with my modeling career,” Bryant told CBS News on Sunday. “So we went along to the restaurant where they were having dinner down the road. And sure enough, there they were. Bill Clinton, Kevin Spacey, Chris Tucker, Jeffrey Epstein, and a few government officials from South Africa.”

Church of England shoots down same-sex ceremonies again, cites legal, theological hurdles– rmx.news

pgnewser February 18, 2026 0

Blurb:

The Anglican Communion and the Church of England have faced significant challenges in modern times, with the church grappling with how to stay relevant while also preserving traditions for its more conservative members.

The debate surrounding gay marriage was an extremely divisive topic, with a 10-year debate resulting in the rejection of same-sex seremonies in 2023. Now, the Church of England has voted again against standalone ceremonies for homosexual couples at its general council.

The bishops concluded that theological and legal obstacles prevented the introduction of separate ceremonies, and so they were excluded from church practice, writes Hetek.hu.

Recalibrating U.S. Intelligence Strategy for an Uncertain Global Order– warontherocks.com

pgnewser February 18, 2026 0

Blurb:

In the wake of 9/11, the newly established Office of the Director of National Intelligence produced the nation’s first National Intelligence Strategy, a document explicitly intended to guide reforms to the intelligence community and help prevent another terrorist attack on the U.S. homeland. The challenges U.S. intelligence faces today are no less dramatic. While crises in Ukraine, Iran, and Venezuela have each been driven by their own internal logics, together they reflect profound shifts in the balance and nature of power as a new international order begins to take shape. These shifts — a more contested strategic environment; accelerating technology competition; and eroding faith in international rules, norms, and institutions — have significantly increased uncertainty in world politics and elevated the risk and potential costs of strategic surprise.

Senior Trump Adviser Says There’s A 90% Chance The U.S. Will Strike Iran– wltreport.com

pgnewser February 18, 2026 0

Blurb:

If this adviser is correct, there’s a good chance the United States will be at war with Iran.

A senior adviser to President Trump has revealed that there’s a 90% chance the United States will launch a strike against Iran.

The potential attack comes as the United States has sent a large number of Navy and Air Force assets to the Middle East, which includes two of the largest U.S. aircraft carriers.

IDF says it dug up Canadian soldiers’ graves to destroy Gaza tunnel– www.cbc.ca

pgnewser February 18, 2026 0

Blurb:

The Israel Defence Forces have told CBC News that they dug 20 to 30 metres deep in a Gaza war cemetery where 22 Canadian soldiers are buried in order to destroy a Hamas tunnel.

An IDF officer who spoke to CBC News on background and who was involved in combat operations in the area said he was not able to give any assurance that Israeli forces had taken measures to preserve human remains.

News that the cemetery had been damaged during IDF combat operations was first reported in The Guardian on Feb. 4, but until now it was not clear whether the damage was just to surface structures such as headstones and walls or also included the remains of the dead. Bodies are normally buried at a depth of two to three metres.

LA county mayor’s campaign advisor convicted of spying for China, sentenced to 4 years in prison | The Post Millennial– thepostmillennial.com

pgnewser February 18, 2026 0

Blurb:

The DOJ said Yaoning Sun had acted as an illegal agent “while serving as the campaign advisor for a political candidate who was elected to the city council of a Southern California city.”

A man with ties to the mayor of a Los Angeles County city has been sentenced to four years in prison for “acting as an illegal agent of the People’s Republic of China.”

The Department of Justice announced on February 10 that 65-year-old Yaoning “Mike” Sun, of Chino Hills, California had been sentenced to 48 months in federal prison, saying that Sun had acted as an illegal agent “while serving as the campaign advisor for a political candidate who was elected to the city council of a Southern California city.”

EU Parliament condemns Turkey for expelling Christian missionaries as ‘security threats’– www.lifesitenews.com

pgnewser February 18, 2026 0

Blurb:

(LifeSiteNews) — The European Parliament has voted in favor of a resolution condemning Turkey’s expulsion of Christian missionaries.

On February 12, the EU legislative body adopted the text by 502 votes in favor, two against, and 59 abstentions, demonstrating broad cross-party consensus on the issue.

The resolution said Turkey is expelling Christians missionaries under an opaque “national security” pretext. It urged the government to uphold freedom of religion and allow the expelled Christians to return to the country.

Lagarde to Step Down Early to Ensure Globalist ECB Successor: Report– www.breitbart.com

pgnewser February 18, 2026 0

Blurb:

Arch globalist Christine Lagarde is reportedly planning to leave her post at the helm of the European Central Bank before the end of her term next year in a bid to lock in liberal leadership long after French President Emmanuel Macron leaves office.

The anti-Trump former French finance minister has served as president of the European Central Bank since 2019. While her eight-year term is set to expire in October next year, the Financial Times, citing a “person familiar with her thinking”, reported that Lagarde is considering stepping down before then to allow French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz to select her successor.

Vatican rejects President Trump Board of Peace initiative for Gaza recovery– www.foxnews.com

pgnewser February 18, 2026 0

Blurb:

The Vatican will not join President Donald Trump’s newly formed Board of Peace, its top diplomatic official said Tuesday, signaling reluctance from the Holy See to take part in the post-war initiative.

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said the Holy See “will not participate in the Board of Peace because of its particular nature, which is evidently not that of other States,” the Vatican’s official news outlet reported.

Vatican Rejects Trump’s Gaza ‘Board of Peace’ Invite, Calls for United Nations to Take Over– slaynews.com

pgnewser February 18, 2026 0

Blurb:

The Vatican has rejected an invitation to participate in President Donald Trump’s “Board of Peace,” which was recently formed to rebuild war-ravaged Gaza.

The Holy See’s top diplomatic official confirmed the rejection on Tuesday.

The refusal to join the international effort signals hesitation from the Catholic Church’s leadership toward the post-war initiative.

Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin said the Holy See “will not participate in the Board of Peace because of its particular nature, which is evidently not that of other States,” according to the Vatican’s official news outlet.

Iran Closes Strait of Hormuz, Conducts Military Exercises With China, Russia– gellerreport.com

pgnewser February 18, 2026 1

Blurb:

 

After reports of Iranian missile fire in the most strategically important shipping lane in the Persian Gulf, Tehran announced that the Strait of Hormuz would be closed to all maritime traffic for several hours due to a “Smart Control” exercise conducted by the naval arm of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps…. At the same time, Russia, China and Iran deployed naval vessels to the Strait of Hormuz for joint maneuvers, Russian presidential aide Nikolai Patrushev said Tuesday. It was not immediately clear whether the Russian and Chinese ships had already joined the ongoing Iranian drill or were expected to participate in the coming days (Israel Hayom).

Russia launches 400 drones and 29 missiles at Ukraine hours before peace talks in Geneva – Europe live | Europe– www.theguardian.com

pgnewser February 17, 2026 0

Blurb:

EU confirms hopes to adopt new sanctions against Russia by 24 February

The European Commission is just giving its daily midday press briefing, and it has confirmed plans to adopt the new, 20th, round of sanctions against Russia by 24 February, the fourth anniversary of the full-scale invasion on Ukraine.

Foreign affairs spokesperson Anouar El Anouni said:

“We keep on working on measures to deprive Russia of the funds, goods and technologies sustaining its war against Ukraine.

This indeed includes the 20th package that you have mentioned, and indeed we aim to adopt it … by 24 February, as the High Representative [Kaja Kallas] mentioned at the last foreign affairs council. Member states are discussing it.”

Ukraine’s Zelensky Says He Met with Democrat Senators to Discuss ‘Pressure’ on Russia– slaynews.com

pgnewser February 17, 2026 0

Blurb:

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has announced that he met with Democrat senators to discuss plans for ramping up “pressure” on Russia.

Zelensky confirmed that he met with Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) and Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI).

The meeting highlights the continued efforts from Democrats to influence Ukrainian leadership as the war with Russia drags on.

In a video included in a post on X, Blumenthal can be heard greeting Zelensky and expressing interest in further cooperation.

ANTIFA MURDERS: 23-Year-Old Conservative Student Killed In Antifa Beating at Women’s Demonstration in Lyon France– gellerreport.com

pgnewser February 17, 2026 0

Blurb:

 

A 23-year-old French student named Quentin died after being severely beaten by Antifa in Sciences Po in Lyon. He had been volunteering as security for Collectif Némésis, a conservative women’s group protesting a lecture by far-left MEP Rima Hassan.

The video is horrific. Nobody came to his rescue. No one. He was swarmed by a leftist mob who stomped him to death while cheering.

Iran fires missiles into Strait of Hormuz during military naval drills– www.foxnews.com

pgnewser February 17, 2026 0

Blurb:

Iran fired live missiles into the Strait of Hormuz during naval drills Tuesday and signaled it is prepared to close the strategic waterway if ordered by senior leadership, according to Iranian state-affiliated media.

The drills come as President Donald Trump’s envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner are meeting senior Iranian officials in Geneva for a second round of nuclear talks.