Middle East latest: Israelis and Palestinians mark 500 days of war in Gaza with more uncertainty www.yahoo.com/news/middle-east-latest-israeli-drone-095050678.html World Bank to release damage assessment for Gaza in coming days Netanyahu reveals AI vision for Gaza's transformation after Trump's 'Riviera' call Graham: 'Very little appetite' for US to take over Gaza www.msn.com/en-us/news/politics/graham-very-little-appetite-for-us-to-take-over-gaza/ar-AA1zeJKw Head of hawkish ZOA group cheers Trump plan to clear Gaza, but wants Strip for Israel Trump's Gaza proposal will jeopardize Israel's future, warns head of liberal JCPA group www.timesofisrael.com/trumps-gaza-proposal-will-jeopardize-israels-future-jcpa-head-warns/ Rubio discusses Trump's Gaza plan with MBS before Saudi summit on 'Arab alternatives' In Israel, US senators dismiss Trump's Gaza plan, expect alternative from Arab states Egypt said to propose Gaza 'secure areas' where Palestinians will live as Strip rebuilt www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog-february-18-2025/ Katz announces new panel tasked with advancing 'voluntary' emigration of Gazans www.timesofisrael.com/katz-announces-new-panel-tasked-with-advancing-voluntary-emigration-of-gazans/ Biden's Mideast czar says Trump 'right to stand firmly by Israel' on hostage deal Israel preparing for Hamas to return bodies of 4 hostages on Thursday, as stipulated in hitherto unpublished part of deal Israel and Hamas in talks to double the number of hostages released this weekend www.nbcnews.com/news/mideast/israel-hamas-ceasefire-hostage-release-talks-egypt-qatar-rcna192480 Chikli tells US Jewish leaders he will vote against stage 2 of hostage release deal Two days after release, ex-captive warns remaining hostages 'don't have any more time' UK funding to UNRWA under review after 'concerning' claims by Emily Damari that she was held captive in UNRWA facilities www.jewishnews.co.uk/uk-funding-to-unrwa-under-review-after-concerning-damari-claims/ IDF: Strike in Lebanon's Sidon kills top Hamas commander planning terror attacks FM Sa'ar to US senators: Turkey cooperating with Iran to smuggle money to Hezbollah As Deadline for Withdrawal Lapses, Israel Says It Will Stay in Southern Lebanon dnyuz.com/2025/02/18/as-deadline-for-withdrawal-lapses-israel-says-it-will-stay-in-southern-lebanon/ IDF to remain in five strategic posts in south Lebanon after Tuesday withdrawal Lebanon extends Iran flight ban after US says Israel might shoot down planes www.timesofisrael.com/lebanon-extends-iran-flight-ban-after-us-says-israel-might-shoot-down-planes/ IDF Arrests 20 Men Crossing Lebanon Border to Visit Talmudic Rabbi's Grave Violation of peace deal? Israel's US envoy warns Egypt is 'reinforcing Sinai bases' - Leiter called it a "clear violation of the peace treaty between Egypt and Israel - after some 45 years." www.jpost.com/breaking-news/article-842533 State Department 'Diversity' Fellows Launched an Internal 'Resistance' Against Israel - and Blinken's Staff Offered Them a Meeting, Emails Show Netanyahu testimony likely to take another 9 to 14 months, court told www.timesofisrael.com/netanyahu-testimony-likely-to-take-another-9-to-14-months-court-told/ Florida Jew opens fire, injures 2 Israeli tourists mistaken for Palestinians www.ynetnews.com/article/hydrbolqkl 'We are all Hamas': Sky News Australia reveals widespread anti-Jewish sentiment among Australian medical professionals, extending beyond the nurses' controversial video www.israelhayom.com/2025/02/17/we-are-all-hamas-australias-anti-israel-medical-system-revealed/ Netanyahu vows to 'finish the job' against Iran with support from Trump www.yahoo.com/news/heavy-bombs-us-arrive-israel-100217918.html Mike Waltz: Trump Is 'Deadly Serious' About Stopping Iran From Obtaining Nuclear Weapons - Waltz's comments come after reports from last week revealed Israel is planning an imminent strike on Iran Surviving Myanmar's Military Junta: Inside the Relentless War on Burma's Karenni State - One of Three Christian-Majority States www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/02/surviving-myanmars-military-junta-inside-relentless-war-burmas/ Taiwan Considering Multi-Billion Dollar Arms Purchase From US, Sources Say China rebukes US over State Dept website change on Taiwan independence www.semafor.com/article/02/16/2025/us-state-departments-edits-language-on-taiwan-independence US prisoner Kalob Byers freed in Russia, Kremlin confirms - Byers was detained in Moscow on Feb. 7 and charged with drug smuggling Trump admin to begin peace talks with Russian officials in Saudi Arabia Tuesday Top Russian, U.S. Officials to Hold Ukraine Peace Talks as E.U. Struggles to Find a Role Germany to reject Starmer's plan for troops in Ukraine as Europe splits over peace deal archive.ph/xN0wU#selection-2406.0-2406.1 Macron's 'Emergency' Ukraine Summit in Paris Fails to Produce Unified European Strategy, as Poles and Germans Balk at Deploying Troops European countries clash over sending troops to Ukraine - Germany, Italy, Spain and Poland express reluctance after Britain says it is prepared to commit forces www.ft.com/content/0deac72a-b6bb-40be-baf6-6eee081cf18e Trump on potential EU food imports ban over "reciprocal" tariff policy: 'Let them do it' thehill.com/homenews/administration/5148895-trump-eu-trade-war-food-imports/ Trump's Threats Against Canada Upend Conservative's Playbook dnyuz.com/2025/02/17/trumps-threats-against-canada-upend-conservatives-playbook/ Conservative portion of blue state looking to break off and join neighboring red state - Decades-long calls for Staten Island to secede from NYC are growing louder again, too Fetterman: DOGE Causing 'Chaos and Confusion' www.newsmax.com/newsfront/john-fetterman-doge-elon-musk/2025/02/17/id/1199426/ Trump Voters Splinter Over His Rapid Shake-Up of Washington - Some core supporters love his no-holds-barred approach, but several swing voters are taken aback at his early moves www.wsj.com/politics/policy/trump-voter-regrets-presidential-election-7b4fc43d Commentary: 'This is a coup': Trump and Musk's purge is cutting more than costs, say experts - In slashing staff and disabling entire agencies the administration is lacerating the structures of US democracy www.theguardian.com/us-news/2025/feb/17/trump-musk-government-cost-cutting-coup Klobuchar: If Trump Administration Doesn't Follow Court Orders, People Will Go to Jail Federal Judge Who Issued Order Against President Trump's Funding Freeze Allegedly Has "Major Potential Conflict of Interest" www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/02/federal-judge-who-issued-order-against-president-trumps/ Trump administration blasts 'unprecedented assault' on its power in first Supreme Court appeal www.cnn.com/2025/02/16/politics/federal-court-trump-firing-power-dellinger/index.html Judge expected to rule in 24 hours in case that aims to sharply curtail Musk's DOGE ca.news.yahoo.com/judge-calls-rare-hearing-holiday-110637792.html Judge appears inclined to deny request to block DOGE's mass firings Judge rules against federal employees suing Trump admin for privacy concerns 'Five alarm warning': Possible DOGE access to private taxpayer data sparks outcry www.politico.com/news/2025/02/17/elon-musk-doge-irs-00204579 DOGE Investigation Uncovers Massive Discrepancies in Social Security Database badlandsmedia.tv/doge-investigation-uncovers-massive-discrepancies-in-social-security-database/ Stephen Miller Exposes Foreign Fraud Rings: Foreign Nationals Use Fake SSNs to Steal Billions in Taxpayer Benefits Through IRS - Full Scope Unknown Until DOGE Accesses Records www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/02/stephen-miller-exposes-foreign-fraud-rings-foreign-nationals/ Elon Musk's DOGE Team Uncovers Over 25 Million People Ages 100+ in Social Security Database, Some Older Than the Constitution: "There are a Lot of Vampires Collecting Social Security" www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/02/elon-musks-doge-team-uncovers-25-million-people/ Social Security Fraud: Nearly 1.5 Million Americans Listed as Over 150 Years Old, 1,041 Over 220 Years Old Acting head of Social Security quits after clash with DOGE over data: Report www.foxnews.com/politics/acting-head-social-security-quits-after-clash-doge-over-data-report Department of Education cancels another $350M in 'woke' spending for contracts, grants www.foxnews.com/politics/department-education-cancels-another-350m-woke-spending-contracts-grants DOGE Caucus senator pushes to end 'slush fund' for presidential candidates: 'Welfare for politicians' - 'This Presidents Day I am fighting for the integrity of the office,' said Sen. Ernst GOP Rep. Tim Burchett Says Democrats Are "Terrified" Because DOGE is Going to Find a "Paper Trail" of Money That Went Overseas and Ended Up Back Into Pockets of Lawmakers www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/02/gop-rep-tim-burchett-says-democrats-are-terrified/ DOGE Reveals $4.7 Trillion of Taxpayer Money Went Into Government Black Hole and is Untraceable www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/02/whoa-doge-reveals-4-7-trillion-taxpayer-money/ Jeff Bezos-Owned Washington Post Turns Down Ad Campaign That Asked, 'Who's Running This Country: Donald Trump Or Elon Musk?' CNN admits Dems are 'powerless' amid GOP takeover of federal government Trump officials struggled to reinstate nuclear weapons staff after firing hundreds www.cnn.com/2025/02/17/climate/trump-nnsa-nuclear-staff-reinstated/index.html X challenges German court decision that forces it to share election data Online meme leads to armed police raid in Germany, JD Vance calls it 'Orwellian' Moulton: VP Vance Used 'Same Language that Hitler Used to Justify the Holocaust' Dem rep claims he was 'embarrassed' by Vance calling out Europeans for censorship, compares him to Hitler Downloads of DeepSeek's AI apps paused in South Korea over privacy concerns Will Israel's AI supercomputer spill sensitive secrets? Red flags mount Israeli AI cybersecurity startup valued at $1.1 billion after major funding round 'City-killer' asteroid 2024 YR4 could hit the moon instead of us, scientists say www.yahoo.com/news/city-killer-asteroid-2024-yr4-150000057.html 5.1 magnitude earthquake hits near Oia, Greece earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000pefy/executive 5.1 magnitude earthquake hits near Ohonua, Tonga earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000pefw/executive 5.1 magnitude earthquake hits near Amorgos, Greece earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000pefq/executive 5.0 magnitude earthquake hits near Fira, Greece earthquake.usgs.gov/earthquakes/eventpage/us7000pe7k/executive Permian Basin pipeline ruptures after M5.0 earthquake hits Texas watchers.news/2025/02/17/permian-basin-pipeline-ruptures-after-m5-0-earthquake-hits-texas/ Over 200 earthquakes recorded during earthquake swarm in Campi Flegrei, Italy Greece to build escape port on Santorini as quakes continue, says minister Ruiz volcano in Colombia erupts to 19,000ft www.ospo.noaa.gov/VAAC/ARCH25/RUIZ/2025B180314.html Semeru volcano in Indonesia erupts to 15,000ft www.bom.gov.au/products/Volc_ash_recent.shtml Mt Etna volcano in Italy erupts to 13,000ft www.bom.gov.au/products/Volc_ash_recent.shtml Crews 'Heroically' Perform 50 Rescues as Floodwaters Slam Kentucky Town Winter storm to dump heavy snow from Plains to North Carolina, including flood-stricken areas Deadly Cold: At least 11 dead as entire US braces for 'arctic outbreak' and coldest temps yet after cars found Frozen in flood waters www.the-sun.com/news/13561817/arctic-outbreak-cold-temperatures-dead-flood-waters-weather/ 'Disaster amnesia': The Los Angeles wildfires revealed a deeper, more vicious cycle that has plagued California for decades Runway Horror: Delta plane crashes & flips on its Roof at Toronto airport with 19 victims rushed to hospital after crawling from wreck www.the-sun.com/news/13563881/delta-plane-crash-toronto-minneapolis-airport/ NBC Reporter Ties President Trump, Elon Musk and DOGE to Plane Crash in Toronto with Canadian Air Traffic Control www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/02/nbc-reporter-ties-president-trump-elon-musk-doge/ Trump Admin Fires Hundreds of FAA Employees Amid Reports DEI Policies Led to DCA Crash www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/02/just-trump-admin-fires-hundreds-faa-employees-amid/ Embattled Mayor Adams balks at resigning during sermon speech - claims he's on a mission from God: 'I am going nowhere' Half of NYC's deputy mayors dramatically resign in wake of Eric Adams' controversial reprieve from Trump DOJ NYC Council Speaker Adrienne Adams calls for Eric Adams to resign as chaos engulfs City Hall nypost.com/2025/02/17/us-news/adrienne-adams-calls-on-nyc-mayor-eric-adams-to-resign/ NYC mayor labels calls for him to resign a 'modern-day Mein Kampf' Wall Street banks scrub DEI language from websites in latest retreat from corporate wokeness: report nypost.com/2025/02/17/business/wall-street-banks-scrub-dei-language-in-retreat-from-wokeness/ NAACP lists companies that dump DEI in its tactical spending guide for Black Americans apnews.com/article/black-consumers-dei-buying-guide-naacp-34664d8af92e2dc1ba787a498348b7a4 Tom Hanks faces backlash over offensive MAGA skit on SNL's star-studded anniversary; viewers furious over his racist performance, call for ban House report: 60 Chinese espionage cases, 224 espionage incidents in three years - Espionage threats increased as more than 176,000 Chinese illegally entered U.S. under Biden www.thecentersquare.com/national/article_39a7f944-ed39-11ef-85c7-9bac8eecac3f.html Nolte: Border Czar Tom Homan Says Illegal Daily Encounters Down to 229 from 11,000 Trump Admin Reforms 'Unaccompanied Alien Children' Policy to Prevent Trafficking North Carolina Married Mother of Two Charged with 80 Child Sex Crimes Trans terror cult leader, member wanted for killing of Vermont Border Patrol agent arrested in Maryland FDA Staff Reviewing Musk's Neuralink Included in DOGE Firings: Sources www.newsmax.com/politics/musk/2025/02/17/id/1199430/ Trump's USDA Secretary Brooke Rollins on Lowering Egg Prices: 'We're On It,' 'Going to Do Everything We Can to Address It' Wyoming woman hospitalized with bird flu after virus kills her chickens Wheat crops are dying, and scientists just found out why - Researchers have found a protein that causes disease in wheat crops and is one the most significant contributors to crop yield declines WSJ asks Kennedy to cast aside 'antivax hooey' amid Texas measles outbreak thehill.com/policy/healthcare/5149761-wsj-kennedy-antivax-texas-measles-outbreak/ WHO Chief: 'Now or Never' for Pandemic Accord www.newsmax.com/world/globaltalk/who-world-health/2025/02/17/id/1199350/ Doctors and Hospitals Look to Drones to Deliver Drugs, Supplies - and Even Organs www.wsj.com/health/healthcare/drones-healthcare-deliveries-drugs-tests-organs-20711c65 Pope will remain hospitalized as doctors treat a complex respiratory tract infection, Vatican says apnews.com/article/pope-francis-vatican-gemelli-hospital-0a88f9b701a0933ac6a781df785cd0db 'Complex Clinical Picture': Pope Francis Has His Hospitalization Extended, as Concerns Mount Over His Decaying Health www.thegatewaypundit.com/2025/02/complex-clinical-picture-pope-francis-has-his-hospitalization/ Pope Francis, sensing he is close to death, moves to protect his legacy - The battle to succeed Pope Francis is likely to be highly politicized www.politico.eu/article/pope-francis-legacy-death-complex-italy-rome-health/ Birth Pang Tracker Link:
