Aletho News

Zionist-controlled companies to surveil British citizens

Press TV – February 17, 2026

The implications of the British state using technology produced by Zionist-controlled companies to surveil British citizens are beyond belief.

The cornerstone of a sovereign nation is the absolute control over its own justice, its own data, and its own watchmen. Yet today, the very machinery of British law enforcement is being quietly and systemically outsourced.

The British government has allowed the digital and physical infrastructure of the state to become a high tech extension of a foreign power, driven by the pernicious influence of Zionism, an ideology that prioritizes the expansion of a foreign entity over the rights of people in the UK.

This is not merely a matter of procurement. It is a surrender of independence.

By embedding Zionist-linked firms into the heartbeat of British society, the government is importing a surveillance philosophy rooted in the subjugation of one people and applying it to their own subjects.

These are combat-proven technologies forged in the fires of the Gaza genocide, and they are now the primary eyes and ears of the metropolitan police.

The police use Israeli intelligence firm Cellebrite to unlock the phones and private lives of their own citizens. They also use BriefCam to track people’s movements through video synopsis. … continue

THE CHILDREN GAMBIT

How Europe’s Political Class Weaponises Innocence — and Has Been Building This Machine for Years

Islander Reports | February 17, 2026

Before we start. These platforms [X, Meta, etc] aren’t innocent. They’ve extracted billions from our attention, manipulated our children’s dopamine cycles, censored truth tellers, handed our data to surveillance capitalism and slept soundly every night. Hold that. And then read what follows anyway — because what’s happening right now is something else entirely.

Let’s start with the money. Because the money never lies.

€1.2 billion. Ireland’s Data Protection Commission. Meta. May 2023. The largest GDPR fine in history, for routing EU citizen data to the United States without adequate protection. A record that lasted about five minutes.

€530 million. TikTok. May 2025. Same Irish authority. For sending European user data to China and then, this is the part they buried in the press release — lying about it during the inquiry. TikTok told regulators throughout the investigation it wasn’t storing EEA data on Chinese servers. In February 2025, they quietly admitted it had been. All along.

€345 million. TikTok again. 2023. Children’s data. €14.5 million from the UK’s Information Commissioner’s Office on top of that, same year, same issue. €91 million to Meta Ireland in September 2024 — they stored hundreds of millions of user passwords in plaintext. Just sitting there. No encryption. Exposed. €390 million to Meta the year before, for forcing users to accept personalised advertising as a condition of accessing their own accounts.

And then December 5th, 2025. The European Commission handed X — formerly Twitter, now Elon Musk’s megaphone and the primary target of every European leader who’s discovered that their citizens can organise against them online — a €120 million fine. First ever penalty under the Digital Services Act. For misleading users about the blue verification badge, concealing advertiser identities, and blocking government-approved researchers from accessing algorithmic data.

Over €2.5 billion. Just the verdicts. Just the ones that made it to conclusion. Fourteen active DSA proceedings still grinding through the machinery, with Meta and TikTok each facing potential fines of 6% of global revenue. That’s €9.9 billion for Meta. €9.3 billion for ByteDance. Numbers large enough to restructure companies. Numbers designed to make platforms obedient.

So when Pedro Sanchez walked out this morning and announced that Spain’s Council of Ministers would invoke Article 8 of the Organic Statute of the Public Prosecution Service — sic prosecutors onto X, Meta and TikTok for “crimes they may be committing” through AI-generated child pornography — understand what you’re looking at.

This isn’t a regulator at the end of its rope. This is a political class that has already built the machine, tested the machine, extracted billions through the machine — and is now deciding what else the machine can reach. … continue

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At this time all comments have been removed and no future posts will have comments allowed.

Trump stalls over Iran strike plan, Iran holds all the aces

By Martin Jay | Strategic Culture Foundation | February 17, 2026

Trump has the option of going to war with Iran and receiving much-needed campaign funds from Israel for the midterms – or opting to defy Bibi and facing certain defeat by losing both houses and facing certain impeachment. Can the Iranians save him?

Is Trump serious about going to war with Iran? To understand this, it’s important to examine his relationship with Netanyahu and to see who has the advantage when it comes to dragging the U.S. into a war, and whether Israel can actually be a greater threat to the U.S. than Tehran can ever be.

The trap that Trump is falling into is one where he has little or no wiggle room at all to control the Iran crisis, whereby Israel can threaten him with isolation while it goes ahead with its strike.

There are two dynamics at play here which are struggling to find a compromise. Trump wants a deal with Iran which takes away their nuclear capability, while Israel wants a war which overthrows the Iranian regime and installs a Mossad/CIA puppet. The problem, though, is that Israel is not an honest broker and keeps shifting the goalposts. The latest demand now is that removing Iran’s ballistic missiles should be at the heart of any deal that Trump pulls off.

Trump is ensnared and is aware of how Bibi is manipulating him. He may, on occasion, swear at journalists and pretend he is his own boss and his own president and that Israel is a client state of Washington which has to toe the line, but in reality, it is clear that Israel is calling the shots. … continue

Zelensky’s Ceasefire for Elections is Strategic Gambit, Not Democratic Move

By Ekaterina Blinova – Sputnik – 17.02.2026

Volodymyr Zelensky’s reluctance to hold elections in Ukraine is multi-faced, according to Marco Marsili, geopolitical analyst at CESRAN International and former OSCE election observer.

The Ukrainian politician is on thin ice despite optimistic polling numbers: “The reported approval ratings reflect a carefully managed wartime narrative, not democratic reality,” Marsili tells Sputnik. … continue

Hillary Clinton using Ukraine to avoid jail – Putin envoy

RT | February 17, 2026

Hillary Clinton is attempting to use Ukraine as a distraction to avoid jail time for her role in fabricating the Russiagate hoax, Russian presidential envoy Kirill Dmitriev has said. The remarks come as Clinton has escalated attacks on US President Donald Trump’s approach to the Ukraine conflict.

Clinton delivered a belligerent speech at the Munich Security Conference last week, accusing Trump of pursuing a “disgraceful” policy toward Ukraine, and claiming he has “betrayed the West” and abandoned “human values.” The former secretary of state also touted a plan to provide Ukraine with Tomahawk missiles and expand strikes inside Russian territory. … Full article

West’s Claims of Non-Involvement in Ukraine Conflict ‘Epitome of Hypocrisy’ – Expert

Sputnik – 17.02.2026

NATO personnel operating Western military hardware in the Ukrainian conflict zone has long been an open secret, Russian military analyst Viktor Litovkin tells Sputnik. … continue

US and Dutch pilots flying F-16s for Ukraine – Western media

RT | February 17, 2026

The Ukrainian military is secretly using a squadron of veteran NATO pilots to fly donated US-made F-16 fighter jets, the French outlet Intelligence Online reported on Monday.

Moscow has long warned that Western nations are moving closer to direct conflict with Russia. The report, which Kiev has denied, said the covert mission relies primarily on experienced US and Dutch air force veterans.

The foreign personnel are deployed far from the front lines and focus on intercepting Russian long-range weapons, the outlet said. They are no longer part of their original militaries and reportedly work for Kiev as civilian contractors, without military ranks and outside the Ukrainian chain of command.

A shortage of trained Ukrainian pilots was previously identified as the main obstacle to using F-16s donated to Kiev. Training courses were reportedly undermined by language barriers, a lack of qualified trainees, and other issues, and were simplified for speed. … continue

Ukrainian Attacks Killed 21 Russian Civilians Over One Week

Sputnik – 17.02.2026

MOSCOW – Twenty-one civilians have been killed in Russia in Ukrainian attacks in the week starting February 9, Russian Foreign Ministry Ambassador-at-Large on the Ukrainian regime’s crimes Rodion Miroshnik told Sputnik.

“Over the past week, Ukrainian Nazis’ shelling resulted in 147 civilian casualties: 126 were wounded, including six minors, and 21 others were killed,” Miroshnik said.

Ukrainian forces fired at least 2,563 rounds at civilian targets across Russian territory in the past seven days, he estimated.

The Ukrainian regime has ramped up drone, artillery and missile strikes on civilian targets in the Belgorod, Kherson, Zaporozhye regions and the Lugansk People’s Republic, the ambassador said. The four regions recorded the highest civilian casualties. … Full article

Putin aide urges retaliation to ‘Western piracy’

RT | February 17, 2026

Russia’s response to “Western piracy” targeting its maritime trade should be forceful and not limited to diplomatic means, an aide to President Vladimir Putin has said.

Nikolay Patrushev, a veteran national security official who heads a naval policymaking body, called for stronger action against Western moves targeting vessels described as part of an alleged Russian ‘shadow fleet’.

Attempts to paralyze Russian foreign trade will only intensify, Patrushev warned in an interview with Argumenty i Fakty published on Tuesday.

“Unless we push back forcefully, soon the English, the French, and even the Balts will get brazen enough to try and block our nation’s access to at least the Atlantic,” he said.

“The Europeans are in essence making steps to impose a naval blockade, deliberately pushing towards a military escalation, testing the limits of our patience and provoking our retaliation. If the situation is not resolved peacefully, the Navy will be breaking and lifting the blockade,” Patrushev said.

“Let’s not forget that plenty of vessels sail the seas under European flags. We may get curious about what they are shipping and where,” he added. … continue

The Depth Charge in the Womb

An Essay on the Dalkon Shield

Lies are Unbekoming | February 17, 2026

Four days before A. H. Robins signed the contract to purchase the Dalkon Shield intrauterine device, the company’s own director of pharmaceutical research reported that no one knew how long the device’s tail string would remain chemically stable inside a woman’s body. “The device has not been subjected to any formal stability testing,” Oscar Klioze wrote in his memo on June 8, 1970. He also noted that the plastic used in the Shield had been cleared by the FDA for packaging meat — not for implantation in humans.

Seventeen days after the purchase, on June 29, a company orientation report circulated to thirty-nine executives — including the chairman, the president, and multiple vice-presidents — carried a more specific warning: the tail string had a “wicking” tendency, meaning it could draw bacteria from the vagina into the sterile uterus. The report recommended “a careful review.”

A. H. Robins began selling the Dalkon Shield nationally six months later. It never conducted wicking studies on the string. Over the next four years, the company distributed 4.5 million Shields in eighty countries. By the company’s own conservative estimate, roughly 88,000 women in the United States alone were injured. At least eighteen died. Hundreds of thousands suffered pelvic infections, septic abortions, perforated uteri, and permanent sterility.

The Dalkon Shield is sometimes treated as a historical curiosity — a cautionary tale from an era of looser regulation. That framing obscures what actually happened. The record, built from internal company memos, sworn depositions, congressional testimony, and court documents, reveals something more instructive: a template. A sequence of decisions, repeated across every phase of the product’s life, that follows a pattern so consistent it functions as a blueprint.

That pattern is worth studying in detail. Not because the Dalkon Shield is unique, but because it is not. … continue

The Truth About SSRI Antidepressants

What Everyone Needs to Know About Antidepressants

A Midwestern Doctor | The Forgotten Side of Medicine | February 5, 2026

Story at a Glance:

• SSRI antidepressants are one of the most harmful medications on the market, and because of just how many people they are given to (often for no good reason as only a minority of patients benefit from SSRIs) they have had a profound effect on the consciousness of our entire society.

• This article will review some of the more common side effects of SSRIs (and SNRIs), such as losing the ability to have sex, becoming numb to life, becoming severely agitated or imbalanced (sometimes to the point one becomes violently psychotic or commits suicide), losing your mind, and the development of birth defects.

• Like many other stimulant drugs (e.g., cocaine) SSRIs can be very difficult to quit. Because of this, patients frequently get severely ill when they attempt to stop them (withdrawals affect roughly half of SSRI users). Worse still, it is often extremely difficult to withdraw from them and very few doctors know how to safely facilitate this.

• Due to widespread denial in psychiatry about the issues with their drugs the common SSRI side effects (e.g., withdrawals) are often misinterpreted as a sign the individual had a pre-existing mental illness and needs more of the drug—which all too often then leads to catastrophic events for the over-medicated patient.

• This article will provide the critical information SSRI patients are rarely warned about and resources for patients already trapped in challenging mental health situations.

Continue

‘Fox guarding the henhouse’: AMA, Vaccine Integrity Project to conduct their own vaccine safety and efficacy reviews

By Suzanne Burdick, Ph.D. | The Defender | February 11, 2026

The American Medical Association (AMA) is teaming up with the Vaccine Integrity Project to conduct its own review of vaccine safety and efficacy, claiming that advisers to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) are no longer doing a good enough job. … continue

Macron, Merz, and von der Leyen Defend Expanded Speech Controls

The Munich Security Conference just became a defense session for Europe’s most ambitious censorship regime

By Dan Frieth | Reclaim The Net | February 16, 2026

Emmanuel Macron stood before the Munich Security Conference last week and offered a blueprint for what European governments should be allowed to delete from the internet. The French president wants mandatory identity verification for social media users, one account per person, algorithm transparency on the government’s terms, and the legal authority to block platforms that refuse to comply.

“We have to be sure there is one single person with one account,” Macron said. “If this is an AI system, if this is bot or organized by big organization, it should be just forbidden.”

The statement describes a system where every social media user would have their identity verified by platforms and tied to a single permitted account. Anonymous speech, pseudonymous commentary, and the ability to maintain separate personal and professional presences online would effectively end for anyone using platforms that serve the European market. … continue

Keir Starmer-tied think tank paid PR firm to target The Grayzone

By Kit Klarenberg | The Grayzone | February 16, 2026

Leaked files have revealed that Labour Together, the shadowy think tank run by disgraced former top Keir Starmer aide Morgan McSweeney, paid the Washington DC-based corporate intelligence firm APCO Worldwide to spy on journalists who reported on their corrupt handling of campaign finances.

The reporters named appear to have been targeted for their efforts to investigate how the UK’s Labour Party elites spent 730,000 pounds in undeclared donations to install Starmer as their leader.

The files show APCO used those funds to oversee the fabrication of a dodgy, evidence-free dossier claiming that Russia was behind damaging disclosures about Labour Together, which it submitted to the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) of Britain’s GCHQ — London’s equivalent to the US National Security Agency.

The “significant persons of interest” listed in APCO’s McCarthyite casebook included The Grayzone and myself. … continue

Apple Just Bought A Sinister ‘Pre-Speech’ Tech Company Implicated In Genocide

By Nate Bear – ¡Do Not Panic! – February 15, 2026

Tech giant Apple has quietly paid nearly $2 billion for a ‘pre-speech’ tech company whose employees helped Israel commit genocide in Gaza.

And Apple has paid this money, the second-biggest deal in its history, for a company that doesn’t have a product, doesn’t have any revenues and whose website is a single page containing 15 words.

The company, Q.ai, is developing sensors which map the imperceptible movements of a human face to determine the words someone is thinking before they’re spoken.

They call it silent speech.

Or pre-speech.

And it’s exactly as sinister as you think it is.

Q.ai was founded by Aviad Maizels, Avi Barliya and Yonatan Wexler, all of whom honed their skills by testing technologies of apartheid on Palestinians. Maizels is a former commander of Unit 81, the IDF division which builds Israel’s offensive cyber weapons. Barliya, according to his LinkedIn, was an intelligence officer in the Israeli air force, while Wexler is a former Unit 8200 agent. … continue

‘Israel’ threatens to genocide Gaza if Hamas refuses disarmament

Al Mayadeen | February 16, 2026

Senior Israeli officials have threatened to renew the genocide in Gaza if Hamas does not disarm within a proposed 60-day period, although the Israeli occupation continues its attacks on the Strip daily, never adhering to the ceasefire agreement.

Cabinet Secretary Yossi Fuchs, a senior adviser to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said that the occupation government intends to give Hamas two months to relinquish its arms. If it does not comply, the Israeli military would “complete the mission” in Gaza, he threatened.

The warnings came against the backdrop of the US-led “Board of Peace”, under which Washington dictated the 60-day deadline.

According to Fuchs, Hamas would be required to surrender all weapons, including small arms such as AK-47 rifles. He emphasized that the Israeli regime would evaluate the outcome at the end of the period. … continue

The Slave-Owning (Jewish) Presidents

Nation of Islam Research Group | February 16, 2026

… Charleston’s SYNAGOGUE PRESIDENTS and the majority of America’s Jewish elites were dedicated to the endless enslavement of Black people. And this behavior can be easily found in every major center of Jewish settlement—Richmond, New Orleans, Newport, Philadelphia, New York and everywhere else. No longer can it be said that Jewish slave traders were marginal members of a rejected underclass. The top leadership of Charleston’s Jewish institutions—every last one of them—owned slaves and made their livings from Black slavery. Yet, the city’s slaveholding Rabbi Gustavus Poznanski referred to it in a way that is unique in the annals of this forever wandering people: “This [Charleston] synagogue is our temple, this city our Jerusalem, this happy land our Palestine…” … Read full article

‘Israel’ kills 13 Palestinians in Gaza 129 days into the ceasefire

Al Mayadeen | February 16, 2026

13 Palestinians were killed and several others wounded across the Gaza Strip on Monday as Israeli occupation forces launched a wave of attacks across the besieged territory, continuing to violate the ceasefire agreement on its 129th day.

At dawn, occupation forces opened heavy fire on Jabalia camp in northern Gaza. Also in the north, and along the so-called “Yellow Line” in Beit Lahia, Israeli forces carried out artillery shelling, gunfire, and aerial bombardment. The night before, Israeli forces had killed two Palestinians near the line, alleging that they had crossed it.

In Gaza City, occupation warships opened machine gun fire toward the sea, while aircraft targeted Sami al-Dahdouh, a leader of the Al-Quds Brigades, near his home in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood.

Further south, occupation forces opened fire alongside artillery shelling east of al-Bureij camp and east of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza, where 64-year-old Khadr Youssef Fayyad from Beit Hanoun was killed by injuries sustained in the bombardment.

The Israeli occupation also carried out intermittent artillery bombardment on the north of Rafah and southeast of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip. … Full article

Israel’s new West Bank registration process declares Palestinian land ‘state property’

The Cradle | February 16, 2026

The Israeli government has approved a land registration process, which will allow Israel to claim territory in the occupied West Bank as “state property” if Palestinians cannot prove ownership, a move that has been described as “de facto annexation.”

Israel’s Broadcasting Corporation (KAN) reported that the proposal was submitted by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, Justice Minister Yariv Levin, and Defense Minister Israel Katz.

“We are continuing the revolution of settlement and strengthening our hold across all parts of our land,” Smotrich said.

Katz called the move a vital security measure and an “appropriate response to illegal land registration processes promoted by the Palestinian Authority.”

Israel’s Foreign Ministry said the registration process will allow for “transparency” and will help resolve land disputes.

The bar for proving Palestinian land ownership is extremely high due to Israel’s restrictive legal system. … continue

Two children killed in Palestinian Authority ambush in West Bank; Hamas slams attack as ‘black mark’

Press TV – February 16, 2026

Two children have been killed after Palestinian Authority (PA) forces opened fire on a vehicle carrying their father, a resistance fighter, in the town of Tamoun in the northeastern part of the occupied West Bank.

The three-year-old daughter of Samer Samara succumbed to her wounds on Sunday after being shot by the forces, Palestinian media outlets reported.

Her 16-year-old brother, Ali, was killed after being shot in the head. Their father was wounded and later abducted by PA forces.

According to the reports, the forces shot Samara in the legs before abducting him.

Local reports said units from the PA’s so-called Preventive Security Service and a special unit set up the ambush and fired heavy gunfire at the car during an operation to abduct Samara, who is wanted by Israeli occupation forces. … continue

Israeli strike kills Lebanese man outside his house in Bint Jbeil

Palestinian Information Center – February-2026

BEIRUT – A young man was killed on Monday morning in an airstrike carried out by an Israeli drone in the Bint Jbeil district of Nabatieh Governorate in southern Lebanon.

The Lebanese National News Agency (NNA) reported that Mohamed Qashaqish was martyred when an Israeli drone targeted him as he was in front of his home in the border town of Hanin, in the Bint Jbeil district.”

NNA explained that Qashqash was about to start one of his cars in order to transport students to their schools when the strike occurred.

NNA added that a drone fired several missiles at him, leading to his death and the burning of his vehicles.

It noted that civil defense teams extinguished the flames and transferred the body to the hospital in Bint Jbeil.

Meanwhile, Israeli forces advanced at dawn into the outskirts of the towns of Aita ash-Shaab and Ramiyah in the Bint Jbeil district, where they rigged a house with explosives and detonated it, according to NNA.

Israeli drone strike kills four at Lebanon-Syria border

Al Mayadeen | February 15, 2026

An Israeli drone strike targeted a vehicle near the Lebanon-Syria border between the Masnaa crossing and Jdeidet Yabous on Sunday, leaving casualties, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency correspondent in Zahle.

Four powerful explosions were heard in nearby villages following the attack, with echoes of the blasts reported across the surrounding area.

Lebanese Civil Defense teams managed to extinguish the fire inside the targeted vehicle located between the Syrian and Lebanese borders. Rescue crews later recovered the bodies of four people from inside the car.

The incident marks a new escalation along the Lebanon-Syria border area, amid ongoing Israeli strikes targeting positions and vehicles in frontier regions. … Full article

Israel’s Favorite American President

José Niño Unfiltered | February 16, 2026

On February 11, 2026, the Jewish People Policy Institute released polling data that stunned political observers. According to the JPPI Israeli Society Index, 73% of Israelis rate Donald Trump as a “better than average” U.S. president for Israel’s interests. The breakdown was even more striking. Nearly half of all Israelis, 49%, called Trump “one of the best” U.S. presidents ever for Israel, with an additional 24% rating him “above average.”

Among Jewish Israelis specifically, the numbers climbed higher still. 54% percent described Trump as one of the best presidents for Israel, with an additional 25% saying above average, totaling 79% favorable.

Israeli journalist Barak Ravid amplified the findings on social media, highlighting the extraordinary contrast with Trump’s domestic standing. While nearly three quarters of Israelis celebrated Trump’s presidency, American voters remained deeply divided. Multiple U.S. polls conducted at virtually the same time showed Trump with approval ratings hovering between 37% and 44%, with majorities disapproving. Pew Research recorded 37%. Marist PBS found 39%. Morning Consult showed 44%.

The Libertarian Institute explicitly noted that “Trump’s approval rating is higher in Israel than in the US,” capturing a fundamental dynamic in U.S.-Israel relations. Trump’s most politically consequential foreign policy actions are popular in Israel but divisive or unpopular at home. The roughly 30-point gap between Israeli and American assessments reflects the fact that Trump has taken positions that directly serve Israeli security priorities while facing domestic backlash over economic concerns and broader issues of governance. … Full article

Israel Needs Time Before Another Iran War—Here’s Why

By José Niño | The Libertarian Institute | February 16, 2026

The United States finds itself in an unfamiliar position. After spending approximately one hundred and fifty THAAD interceptors and eighty SM-3 missiles to help defend Israel during the Twelve-Day War in June 2025, the Pentagon faces a stark reality. Its stockpiles are depleted, its production lines cannot keep pace, and another major conflict with Iran would require an air defense umbrella America can no longer fully provide.

The question is not whether the United States wants to strike Iran again. The question is whether it can afford to.

For now, the answer appears to be no. But history suggests this pause may be temporary, with negotiations serving not as a genuine path to peace but as a strategic timeout while Israel restocks its depleted munitions and air defenses. After all, the Twelve-Day War itself kicked off in the middle of active negotiations that critics across the political spectrum described as either a deliberate ruse or a diplomatic process Israel cynically sabotaged.

Throughout the clash with Israel, the Israeli government worked hard to control the narrative about what Iran’s missiles actually hit. Military censorship laws prevented journalists from reporting strike locations near sensitive facilities. But satellite data told a different story. … continue

US seizes oil tanker for ‘defying Trump’s quarantine’

RT | February 16, 2026

US military forces intercepted and boarded a tanker that was sanctioned for carrying Venezuelan oil in the Indian Ocean overnight on Sunday, the Pentagon has announced. … continue

Circumcision: The Surgery That Outlived Every Reason for Its Existence

Lies are Unbekoming | February 14, 2026

In 1870, circumcision cured paralysis. By 1900, it prevented syphilis. By 1932, it prevented cancer. By 1985, it prevented urinary tract infections. By 2005, it prevented HIV.

The foreskin didn’t change. The operation didn’t change. Only the reason changed.

No other surgery in the history of medicine has survived the serial demolition of every rationale offered for its existence. Tonsillectomy thrived for decades on weak evidence, but when the evidence collapsed, the surgery declined. Routine episiotomy was once standard obstetric care; when studies showed it caused more harm than it prevented, rates dropped. The self-correcting mechanisms of medicine, imperfect as they are, eventually retire procedures that cannot justify themselves.

Circumcision is the exception. Each time the reigning justification has been dismantled—by new science, by changing disease paradigms, by the simple passage of time—the medical establishment has not abandoned the procedure. It has found a new disease. The operation is the constant. The diseases orbit around it.

That pattern, exposed in full, tells us something the medical literature never will: the purpose of the research was never to evaluate the surgery. It was to protect it. … continue

AAP Members With Ties to GLP-1 Drugmakers Helped Write Weight-Loss Drug Guidelines for Kids

By Brenda Baletti, Ph.D. | The Defender | February 12, 2026

In January 2023, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) issued new clinical guidelines for treating childhood obesity. The guidelines, still in effect, recommend physicians offer GLP-1 weight-loss drugs and bariatric surgery to obese children.

Under the new guidelines, the AAP said pediatricians “should” offer the weight-loss drugs to obese adolescents ages 12 and older and that they “may” offer the drugs to children ages 8-11.

It didn’t take long for prescriptions for GLP-1 drugs for those age groups to skyrocket — they jumped 38% in the first year following the change. MedPage reported that prescriptions for two of the drugs jumped 700%.

Two-and-a-half years later, a BMJ investigation uncovered undisclosed financial ties between the AAP and major drug companies behind blockbuster weight-loss medications.

The BMJ analysis found financial ties to industry among AAP members — including those who wrote the guidelines, those who reviewed them and the organization overall.

The researchers also identified serious irregularities in the process of making the guidelines. They concluded that the AAP based the guidelines on weak or nonexistent evidence.

Their results “suggest the AAP’s childhood obesity guidelines should be interpreted with caution,” researchers said. … continue

Senator Rand Paul Introduces Federal Bill to END Vaccine Makers’ Liability Shield

By Nicolas Hulscher, MPH | FOCAL POINTS | February 14, 2026

Senator Rand Paul has introduced S.3853, a federal bill that would amend the Public Health Service Act to end the long-standing liability protections for vaccine makers.

The bill was introduced on February 11, 2026, and referred to the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee.

At the time of writing, no bill text has yet been released, so the precise statutory changes remain unknown.

However, based on the title and summary, the legislation appears aimed at dismantling the liability framework established under the 1986 National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act, which shields manufacturers from civil lawsuits and routes injury claims through the failed Vaccine Injury Compensation Program (VICP).

Current evidence indicates that the National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986 likely sparked the autism epidemic.

By granting legal immunity to vaccine makers, 3.2% of American children now have autism.

Bill S.3853 would collapse the vaccine cartel’s 40-year reign of penalty-free mass harm. If passed, this legislation would truly Make America Healthy Again.

Key Architect of ‘Disinformation Dozen’ List Resigns After ‘Epstein Files’ Reveal Tangled Web of Censorship

By Michael Nevradakis, Ph.D. | The Defender | February 12, 2026

The 2021 publication of “The Disinformation Dozen” list of 12 “leading online anti-vaxxers” sparked efforts to discredit U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Sayer Ji and other outspoken critics of COVID-19 pandemic policies and vaccines.

Five years later, the release of the “Epstein Files” has led to the resignation of one of the list’s architects — Morgan McSweeney.

McSweeney, chief of staff to U.K. Prime Minister Keir Starmer, resigned Sunday. In 2018, he co-founded what later became known as the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH), which published the “Disinformation Dozen” list. … continue

Texas Attorney General Takes Dr. Mary Talley Bowden’s Side Against Texas Medical Board

By Jon Fleetwood | February 15, 2026

In a massive win for health freedom and holding the medical establishment accountable, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has formally taken Dr. Mary Talley Bowden’s side against the Texas Medical Board, intervening in court on behalf of the State of Texas and refusing to defend the state’s medical regulator.

“Thank you @KenPaxtonTX for your support,” Dr. Bowden wrote in an X post. “This is a win for me, but more important, a win for patients. No one should have to sue to get a second opinion, hospitals should not have the power to defy court orders, and doctors should not be targeted for trying to help their patients. Texas has been captured by the medical mafia, but this is a step in the right direction.”

On February 12, the State of Texas, through AG Ken Paxton, filed an “Original Petition in Intervention” in Travis County district court, aligning the full weight of the Attorney General’s Office with Bowden and asking the court to declare the Board’s public reprimand against her “void as a matter of law.”

Rather than representing the Texas Medical Board—the customary role of the Attorney General—Paxton’s office entered the case as Intervenor-Plaintiff, directly opposing the Board. … continue

Oklahoma ‘Medical Freedom Act’ would block mandates in schools, workplaces, public buildings, and businesses

By Jon Fleetwood | February 11, 2026

Oklahoma lawmakers have introduced legislation that would prohibit businesses, schools, ticket issuers, and state or local governments from requiring any medical intervention as a condition of employment, access, compensation, public services, or entry into public spaces.

The bill, Senate Bill 1560, titled the Oklahoma Medical Freedom Act, was introduced in the Second Session of the 60th Legislature by Senator Randy Grellner (R-District 21).

If enacted, SB 1560 would create one of the broadest medical autonomy statutes in the country.

The new measure is being introduced as President Donald Trump signed H.R. 7148 into law, allocating at least $5.5 billion in taxpayer funding for pandemic preparedness and influenza countermeasures—despite no declared emergency—placing Oklahoma’s proposed medical freedom protections in direct contrast to Washington’s expanding pandemic infrastructure. … Full article

Iowa, New Hampshire Advance Bills to Curb Vaccine Mandates, Expand Medical Freedom

By Jill Erzen | The Defender | February 13, 2026

State lawmakers in Iowa and New Hampshire this week advanced bills that, if passed, will scale back vaccine mandates and expand medical choice.

Supporters in both states said the measures restore informed consent and rebuild trust after the COVID-19 era. Critics warned the proposals could weaken long-standing public health protections.

On Thursday, Iowa lawmakers advanced House File 2368, the Iowa Medical Freedom Act.

The proposal would prohibit businesses, schools and government entities from requiring “medical intervention” — including vaccines and masks — as a condition of employment, services or access to facilities.

State Rep. Samantha Fett, the bill’s sponsor, said Iowans “consistently prioritize the freedom to make their own medical decisions.” She argued that “no government has the authority to force a medical intervention on anyone.”

Fett called the mandates coercive and inconsistent with informed consent.

“Employers, schools and agencies are not doctors, and they cannot make personal health decisions for every Iowan,” she said. “This bill protects conscience rights, religious liberty, bodily autonomy and privacy. At its core, this bill protects everyone.”

Supporters said the measure protects bodily autonomy, religious liberty and privacy, while preserving access to vaccines and other treatments.

Lindsay Maher of Informed Choice Iowa said lawmakers are responding to ongoing concerns about how public health agencies handled COVID-19 and the government’s response to it.

Maher emphasized that the proposal “does not take away access to vaccines, but reinforces informed consent.” Conversations with doctors allow “people to have a choice,” she said. … Full article

mRNA Shots Classified as Weapons of Mass Destruction in New Tennessee Bill: SB 1949

By Jon Fleetwood | February 6, 2026

A new bill introduced last month in the Tennessee General Assembly would classify mRNA injections and products as weapons of mass destruction, criminalize their manufacture, possession, or distribution, and impose felony penalties not only on private actors but also on state and local officials who fail to enforce the law.

If enacted, the law would take effect July 1, 2026.

The legislation, Senate Bill 1949, is formally titled the “mRNA Bioweapons Prohibition Act” and amends multiple sections of Tennessee Code Annotated, including Titles 8, 14, 39, 40, 53, 63, and 68, to integrate mRNA products directly into the state’s criminal and enforcement framework.

The bill was introduced by Sen. Janice Bowling and has already passed first and second consideration in the Senate, where it has been referred to the Senate Judiciary Committee.

Tennessee joins Arizona and Minnesota in efforts to designate mRNA shots, like the COVID-19 vaccine, as bioweapons.

Unlike regulatory or health-policy legislation, SB 1949 places mRNA products squarely inside Tennessee’s criminal code governing weapons of mass destruction.

COVID-19 mRNA shots alone have been linked to 38,983 deaths, according to VAERS data—a figure federally-funded Harvard Pilgrim researchers confirm represents as little as 1% of actual adverse events, meaning the true number could be closer to four million.

The bill declares legislative intent in unambiguous terms:

“It is the intent of the general assembly to designate mRNA injections and products as weapons of mass destruction and to prohibit possession or distribution of mRNA injections and products in this state.”

Full article

Afghanistan pledges solidarity with Iran in case of attack

Al Mayadeen | February 15, 2026

The spokesperson for the Afghan government, Zabihullah Mujahid, said Sunday that if the Islamic Republic of Iran were subjected to any aggression, “the people of Afghanistan will offer various forms of solidarity and support to their Iranian brothers.”

Mujahid added that Iran had emerged victorious in what he described as the 12-day war, stressing that Tehran is capable of winning and defending itself against any future aggression.

Last week, Iran’s ambassador to Afghanistan, Alireza Bikdeli, said Tehran is moving swiftly to strengthen relations with Kabul across multiple sectors. He noted that there are no obstacles preventing Iran from recognizing the Taliban-led government and indicated that such recognition could take place soon. … Full article

Escalation in Gaza: Al-Quds Brigades Commander Sami al-Dahdouh Martyred in Tel al-Hawa Strike

Al-Manar | February 15, 2026

Al-Quds Brigades, the military wing of the Islamic Jihad Movement, announced the martyrdom of commander Sami al-Dahdouh following an airstrike that targeted a group of civilians in the Tel al-Hawa neighborhood of Gaza City in the northern Gaza Strip. Residents of the city gathered for his funeral this afternoon. Several other civilians were also wounded in the attack.

This comes after medical sources in the Gaza Strip reported the martyrdom of ten Palestinians since dawn today as a result of airstrikes and artillery shelling by the Israeli occupation army in Khan Younis in the south and the al-Falouja area of Jabalia refugee camp in the northern Gaza Strip.

Al-Manar correspondent in Gaza also reported the martyrdom of one civilian and the wounding of several others in a drone strike on Beit Lahia in northern Gaza.

Israeli soldier admits to killing and rape in Gaza during livestream with US YouTuber

Palestinian Information Center – February 15, 2026

GAZA – A viral video circulating on social media has sparked widespread outrage online after an Israeli soldier unashamedly admitted to committing atrocities in the Gaza Strip.

In a live TikTok session with American YouTuber Jeff Davidson, the soldier said, “We don’t just kill, we also rape,” referring to actions carried out by Israeli forces against Palestinian children and women in Gaza.

In the livestream conversation, which took place during the war in Gaza but was only released recently, Davidson initially questioned the soldier about his identity and military affiliation. The man stated that he was a member of the Israeli army and broadcasting from within Gaza.

When confronted by Davidson with the fact that the Israeli army was responsible for the destruction of Gaza, the soldier confirmed that without hesitation or any expression of remorse.

When the American interviewer asked him to show his surroundings, the soldier pointed the camera outward and described extensive destruction across the area.

“You wanna see Gaza? Don’t be surprised, there’s no house here. Flat, all flat,” the soldier said.

Davidson responded: “You guys flattened it?” The soldier replied: “Oh yeah.”

The conversation escalated when the soldier attempted to justify targeting children by showing a photo of a child holding a gun, claiming he had found it in a bombed home. Davidson refuted his claim, stressing that children defending themselves against an invading army can never justify killing or targeting them. He also held the occupation responsible for the situation in Gaza. … Full article

Israeli violations in Lebanon persist as US-backed internal pressure against Hezbollah grows

The Cradle | February 15, 2026

The Israeli army continued its blatant violations of the ceasefire in Lebanon on 15 February, hours after a late-night wave of violent attacks on the country’s south.

An Israeli drone crashed in the border town of Houla on Sunday, while a quadcopter blew up a house near the town of Mays al-Jabal, Al-Mayadeen’s correspondent in the south reported.

“Israeli occupation soldiers crossed the Blue Line at the town of Mays al-Jabal, and advanced 10 meters – conducting a survey of the area before retreating behind the fence,” they added.

The force consisted of two military vehicles, Lebanon’s National News Agency said.

The incursion and attacks came a day after Israel carried out a series of heavy air raids on Lebanon.

Warplanes carried out strikes on the outskirts of Houmine al-Fawqa in the Iqlim al-Tuffah region, targeting the Al-Hamila area.

Air raids also hit Mlikh and Basliya and Jabal Rihan heights, as well as the town of Sajd in Jezzine.

The Israeli army claimed it struck “warehouses of weapons and launchers belonging to the Hezbollah terror organization in several areas in southern Lebanon.”

The attacks coincided with the intensification of US-backed internal pressure against Hezbollah.

Lebanon’s Information Minister Paul Morcos said on Thursday that Beirut will vote next week on restricting arms north of the Litani River.

“We have completed the first phase, south of the Litani River. Next week, the government will make a decision regarding the second phase, considering what the army commander sets out in terms of needs and capabilities, so that we can decide accordingly, based on that explanation,” he said. … Full article

The Hidden Map: US and Israel May Use Unexpected Neighbors to Attack Iran

By Robert Inlakesh | The Palestine Chronicle | February 15, 2026

An analysis of the overlooked regional geography surrounding Iran and how lesser-discussed neighboring states could factor into future US-Israeli pressure or conflict scenarios. – Read article

Trump, Netanyahu Agree to Target Iranian Oil Exports to China

What will it cost the US economy?

By Kyle Anzalone | The Libertarian Institute | February 15, 2026

President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu agreed to increase economic pressure on Iran by attempting to cut oil exports to China.

A US official speaking with Axios said during the meeting between Trump and Netanyahu last week, the leaders “agreed that we will go full force with maximum pressure against Iran, for example, regarding Iranian oil sales to China.”

Kpler estimates that 80% of Iranian oil sales are to China. The Trump administration has attempted to cause intense economic suffering in Iran, hoping the result will be the overthrow of the government in Tehran.

Trump recently signed an executive order authorizing the White House to impose 25% tariffs on countries that buy Iranian oil. It’s unclear if the President will be willing to upend the delicate Trump relationship with China to damage the Iranian economy.

The US is ramping up the economic war as talks with Iran are ongoing. … Full article

Russia announces huge Arctic oil discovery

RT | February 13, 2026

Russian energy major Gazprom Neft has discovered a new oil field on the Yamal Peninsula that is the largest discovered in the region in three decades, according to a company release.

The new find is located in the Arctic zone of Yamalo-Nenets Autonomous Region, home to the world’s largest natural gas reserves but also a region with significant oil potential. Drilling and exploration are challenging, however, as the peninsula is almost entirely covered by permafrost.

The field is part of a large oil and gas cluster in the southern part of the peninsula, according to the company. It was discovered after three years of exploration, including 2D and 3D seismic surveys and geological and hydrodynamic modeling. An appraisal well drilled to a depth of 2.7 km produced commercial flows of low-sulfur, low-viscosity oil, gas, and condensate. Estimated geological reserves are 55 million tons, the company’s press release stated.

The field was named after Aleksey Kontorovich, one of the founders of the Russian scientific school of oil and gas geology and organic geochemistry. Additional exploration will be carried out to better understand the geological structure and production potential and to develop an extraction plan.

“This discovery – the largest for Yamal in the last 30 years – confirms that our country’s resource base is far from fully explored,” Aleksandr Dyukov, chairman of the board of Gazprom Neft, said in a statement on Wednesday. “In the Arctic zone, Eastern Siberia, and many other territories, opportunities remain to discover new large and ultra-large hydrocarbon deposits.” … Full article

Ex-Ukrainian energy minister detained in corruption probe

RT | February 15, 2026

Former Ukrainian Energy Minister German Galushchenko has been detained as part of an anti-corruption probe while attempting to cross the border into Poland, local media and officials have reported. The ex-minister is implicated in a $100 million kickback scheme allegedly run by a former close associate of Vladimir Zelensky.

On Sunday, several Ukrainian media reported that Galushchenko had been removed from the Kiev-Warsaw night train after border guards received an automatic alert about a person of interest attempting to leave the country. The request for the detainment was reportedly filed by the National Anti-Corruption Bureau of Ukraine (NABU) and the Specialized Anti-Corruption Prosecutor’s Office (SAPO).

NABU later confirmed the development, saying the minister was detained in the corruption case and that “priority investigative actions are underway.” Lawmaker Aleksey Goncharenko said Galushchenko had been served with a suspicion notice after previously holding witness status in the investigation. … Full article

Russia open to discussing Ukraine’s ‘external governance’ – senior diplomat

RT | February 15, 2026

Russia is ready to discuss establishing “temporary external governance” in Ukraine under UN auspices to facilitate long-overdue democratic elections, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Galuzin has said.

In an interview with TASS released on Sunday, Galuzin noted that the idea was first floated by Russian President Vladimir Putin in March 2025, describing it as one possible way to further the peace process.

This step, he said, “would make it possible to hold democratic elections in Ukraine, bring to power a capable government with which a full-fledged peace treaty could be signed, along with legitimate documents on future interstate cooperation.”

“In general, Russia is prepared to discuss with the US, European nations, and other countries the possibility of introducing temporary external governance in Kiev,” he added.

Galuzin acknowledged that while the UN “does not formally have a standardized mechanism” for these types of cases, there are historical precedents. … continue

US Caribbean Buildup Near $3B — Report

Sputnik – 15.02.2026

The US military surge around Venezuela that culminated in the military aggression and abduction of President Nicolas Maduro is approaching a $3 billion price tag, Bloomberg reported.

Bloomberg calculations show the deployment at its peak cost more than $20 million a day, with as much as 20% of the US Navy’s surface fleet tied up in the region. Former Pentagon comptroller Elaine McCusker estimated that Operation Southern Spear has “probably cost about $2 billion since August 2025,” excluding intelligence and targeting expenses.

The White House has said the operation did not cost taxpayers extra because the forces were already deployed. But experts cited by Bloomberg noted that combat activity, higher operational tempo and personnel benefits add to expenses, and there is “no contingency fund in the DOD budget for unexpected operations.”

Despite the USS Gerald R. Ford being reassigned to the Middle East, Bloomberg reported the Caribbean deployment has no clear end date, even as US lawmakers say they have not been provided with detailed cost estimates.

Billions spent. No formal accounting.

And the tab keeps rising.