The Israeli military allegedly threatened a man in his home in South Lebanon, as their drones circled overhead. They gave him an ultimatum: die alone or with your family. He left his home. Then they killed him.

Israel drone-bombed Ahmed Turmus in his stationary car. His death was reported on X and by Lebanese citizen news agencies:

JUST IN: 🚨🇱🇧

A message IDF reportedly sent to a 62 year old father in southern Lebanon as he’s visiting relatives:

“It’s the Israeli Army, Ahmed. Do you want to DIE ALONE or with family in the house?”

Advertisement

Ahmed Tirmos’ story is going viral in Lebanon, who asked his family to… pic.twitter.com/lPfMBhoKx6

— Jvnior (@Jvnior) February 19, 2026

South Lebanon media is siloed off from official and corporate media. Grassroots outlet Lebanon Debate reported details of the alleged killing:

On Monday, an Israeli raid targeted a car parked near a residential house in the town of Taloussa – Marjayoun district, killing Ahmed Turmus.

Tallouseh is close to Lebanon’s southern-eastern border with Israel.

Lebanon Debate said a family member has told them Turmus had insisted on staying in the area despite previous Israeli threats.

Ahmed Turmus, 60, was one of the sons of the land who did not leave their village despite all the circumstances. During the war of support, while most of the people of the border strip left their villages, he remained in Taloussa, refusing to leave it.

Turmus was one of the last men standing, it appears.

Israel told residents of Taloussa and 13 other villages to leave in 2024.

Middle East Eye reported:

Israel’s military has told the residents of 14 villages in southern Lebanon to leave their homes ahead of Israeli military operations in the areas.

The villages include Chaqra, Hula, Majdal Selem, Taloussa, Meiss el-Jabal, as-Sawana, Qabrikha, Yahmour, Arnoun, Blida, Muhaibib, Barashit, Fron and Ghandouriya, Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee said.

“For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and move to the north of the Awali River. To ensure your safety, you must evacuate without delay,” Adraee wrote on X.

Killed in his car

Lebanon Direct said Turmus had lost a son in the 2024 war against Israel:

The sources added that “the tragedy was not new to the family, as his son Hassan was martyred during the war of support in January 2024,” noting that “Ahmed Turmus was the one who personally took the initiative to retrieve his son’s body from the Saluki Valley.”

The alleged details of Turmus’ death are harrowing. Lebanon Direct said:

As for the moment of targeting, the sources reported that Ahmed Turmus’s phone received a call minutes before the raid, where the caller identified himself as an Israeli soldier, and he was given two options: either to [die] with those around him, or to [die] alone.

Sources told the outlet:

The martyr did not hesitate for a moment, he chose to be alone. He made his decision to keep the danger away from those who were with him, and asked them to stay indoors. He said goodbye to them quietly, then headed to his car and drove away from the residential house.

After he stopped the car nearby, only a few seconds passed before the drone fired two missiles that hit the vehicle directly, killing Ahmed Turmus, who chose to face his fate alone.

Israeli expansionism in Lebanon

Israel regularly attacks southern Lebanon. Israel sprayed Lebanese territory with a cancer-causing chemical on 6 February. Euro-Med Human Rights Monitor said the “deeply alarming” attack may constitute a war crime:

The deliberate targeting of civilian farmland violates international humanitarian law, particularly the prohibition on attacking or destroying objects indispensable to civilian survival.

They added:

Large-scale destruction of private property without specific military necessity amounts to a war crime and undermines food security and basic livelihoods in the affected areas.

Extremist Zionist settlers — the vanguard of Israeli colonialism — crept over the border to plant trees around the 13th of February.

One said:

We came here today, to plant trees and put down roots in the soil of our country, regardless of the fences. The State of Israel must renew the settlement in Lebanon, this is historically correct, it is right from a security point of view, and it is right from a moral point of view.

Israel is still unswayed by worldwide condemnation for their genocide campaign in Gaza. Through a Zionist lens the entire region is theirs by ancient right. Back on Planet Earth, this is old fashioned settler-colonialism writ large. Israel will take out anybody who stands in its way.

Featured image via the Canary

Keir Starmer just got community-noted on Twitter again. This time, our vaunted PM managed to display his ignorance of entry-level economics – he seems to think that lower inflation means lower prices.

Now, when writing this kind of piece, I’d normally include a dozen quote tweets dunking on Starmer for such an obvious blunder. Unfortunately, that looks like it’d be rather boring today, given that they’re all some variation on ‘That’s not how inflation works, you utter fucking clown’.

So, instead, let’s take a different tack. Sometimes this job can ingrain a deep cynicism in your soul that challenges your ability to find the common humanity in the politicians we write about. With that in mind, I’m going to try for the most charitable interpretation of Starmer’s tweet I can muster.

Okay Starmer, we’re being nice today

On 18 February, Starmer tweeted:

The choices this Labour government has made means inflation has fallen today to its lowest rate in a year.

Lower food and petrol prices are helping ease the pressure on household budgets.

I know there’s more to do, cutting the cost of living is my number one priority.

Readers almost immediately added context through the site’s community notes function:

Inflation is higher now than when Labour took office and is 1% above target inflation.

Lower inflation does not equal lower prices, as inflation is a measure of rising prices.

Advertisement

Oo, burn.

But, what if the elected leader of the United Kingdom does actually understand what an economy is and how money works? What if the tweet was just phrased a little poorly? What if Starmer is just a tired guy who’s been kept up all week defending his affiliations with his party’s Epstein ties and local election U-turns?

I bet you feel dead mean now, don’t you? The poor bloke could lose his job if people keep being this uncharitable.

Key points

I’ll start with the central assumption that the PM isn’t trying willfully to deceive the voting public. As such, I’m absolutely sure that he meant to say that lower inflation means that the money will have greater worth in real terms.

With that more-kindly interpretation in mind, Starmer is making three key statements here:

1. Inflation has fallen to its lowest rate in a year.
2. Food and petrol prices are also lower.
3. This fall is because of Labour actually doing something right for a change (please clap/ love me – this part is implicit, but important nonetheless).

Let’s examine them in order, and really try to take them at face value. I’ll let go, for the moment, of the biases induced by Starmer’s active support for genocide and the second rise of fascism.

Inflation is down!(?)

So, first up – how’s the inflation level actually doing?

Well, according to the Office of National Statistics, the rate of inflation did drop from 3.4% in the year to December to 3% in January.

Grant Fitzner, chief economist of the ONS, stated that:

Inflation fell markedly in January to its lowest annual rate since March last year, driven partly by a decrease in petrol prices.

Airfares were another downward driver this month with prices dropping back following the increase in December.

But wait – lowest rate since March last year? Given that it’s still currently February, and we’re looking at January’s figures, that means we’re definitely not seeing the “lowest rate in a year”.

Oof, that’s a bad start for the ‘maybe Starmer isn’t a clown’ hypothesis.

Money goes further (??)

Next on the agenda – food prices. The ONS reported that:

Food and non-alcoholic beverages prices rose by 3.6% in the 12 months to January 2026, down from 4.5% in the 12 months to December 2025. On a monthly basis, food and non-alcoholic beverages prices fell by 0.1% in January 2026, compared with a rise of 0.9% a year ago.

Oh dear, it’s not looking good for our ‘Starmer isn’t a dickhead theory’, is it? A monthly fall of 0.1% after a year’s rise of 3.6% makes the ‘lower food prices’ claim technically true, but deeply misleading at best. 

Meanwhile, on the subject of petrol, the ONS said:

The largest downward effect came from motor fuels, where the average price of petrol fell by 3.1 pence per litre between December 2025 and January 2026, compared with a rise of 0.8 pence per litre between December 2024 and January 2025. The average price stood at 133.2 pence per litre in January 2026, down from 137.1 pence per litre a year earlier.

A genuine fall in prices! Wonders shall never cease. I’ll give a partial credit to the PM on this point.

‘Thanks to the choices we made’

Like Starmer, chancellor Rachel Reeves was also quick to claim falling inflation as a win for Labour. She stated that: 

Thanks to the choices we made at the budget we are bringing inflation down, with £150 off energy bills, a freeze in rail fares for the first time in 30 years and prescription fees frozen again.

Now, whether or not this economic change is down to Labour’s budget wizardry would require a much longer examination. However, if Labour wants to claim this win for its budget, it probably also needs to own its loss. You see, as the BBC reported:

For 16-24s, the unemployment rate now sits at 16.1% – the highest figure in just over a decade. While for 25-34s it’s 4.7%, the highest since 2017.

Average pay also grew by 4.2%, down from a revised 4.4% in the three months to November.

Economists say the latest figures would reinforce expectations that inflation will fall back, making it likely the Bank of England would choose to cut interest rates soon[.]

Inflation is slowing – but also, unemployment is soaring, particularly for young people. Given that a job is usually necessary in order to make the money to buy things like food and petrol, I’m afraid I’m going to have to declare this one another point against Starmer’s claims.

So, there we have it. Even if we take the most charitable tack my jaded soul can manage, our glorious leader still comes out looking like he doesn’t know his ass from his elbow.

Oh, and a corollary point – we definitely don’t need to clap.

Featured image via the Canary

Robert Jenrick has announced Reform UK’s policies on how it would run the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP):

The benefits bill is a time bomb that will bankrupt the country.

And a moral disaster wasting the potential of millions of people.

Reform will fix it. We’re for workers, not welfare. pic.twitter.com/2YJBgOtXeu

— Robert Jenrick (@RobertJenrick) February 18, 2026

Advertisement

But all of his terrible policies are already happening, or in the process of happening, under Labour.

Most of this already happens:
– You need a diagnosis and evidence to claim PIP
– DWP are returning to in-person assessments (it’s part of their savings forecast bc they know more fail them)
– Luxury cars are already cut from motability

Dog whistle politics at its finest https://t.co/aUxPG1Xcu3

— Rachel Charlton-Dailey (@RachelCDailey_) February 19, 2026

Our politicians seem to be pretty good at coming up with new ways to screw over disabled people, but Jenrick wasn’t even smart enough to think of his own.

Jenrick recycling policies for the DWP

Jenrick is missing the Tories that badly that they’ve given him a bullshit Shadow Chancellor label. Of course, he is not the Shadow Chancellor, as he is not a Tory.

hes not the fucking shadow Chancellor https://t.co/O44fSmPbnq pic.twitter.com/Xy6ccyNbIe

— Iain🌹🇬🇧🇺🇦🇵🇸 (@Iainite_Iain) February 18, 2026

He’s literally recycling shitty policies. It’s the equivalent of Alibaba ripping off a Temu phone case.

Oddly familiar.. https://t.co/NqzAUw3U5c pic.twitter.com/SutWpkpzgb

— (Cllr?) Danny Mosley (@ThatBritishGuyl) February 18, 2026

Advertisement

Was he taking notes at the Tory conference in October?

Stoking division

Jenrick’s policies for how to run the DWP are bullshit – but more importantly, they are already happening.

In-person benefits assessments are still carried out, and you almost always need a formal diagnosis of mental health conditions to use them to claim benefits. Just attacking people on benefits to generate headlines and stir up anger. Fuck Reform and anyone who votes for them. https://t.co/GnvAnb95K2

— allfunandjames (@allfunandjames0) February 18, 2026

During the Autumn Statement back in November, Rachel Reeves announced that the DWP would:

Improve operations by increasing face-to-face assessments, increasing WCA reassessment capability, and PIP award review changes, starting from April 2026.

Then, in December, the DWP issued a press release stating that it would increase face-to-face assessments. It said PIP face-to-face assessments would increase from 6% to 30%, while work capability assessments (WCA) would increase from 13% to 30%.

Do your research, Jenrick

Jenrick is also forgetting that even to claim benefits for a mental health or neurodivergent condition via the DWP, you already need a diagnosis.

I ain’t reading all that. But the 2nd point, that’s literally already the case😭 you need letters with your diagnosis from your doctor to even start your PIP application. Reform shouting at clouds as usual https://t.co/Q6HMRefXy3

— danny (@danxcix) February 18, 2026

“Clinical diagnosis required for those who claim to have mental health disorders”
Isnt this already how it is? 😳😳😳 https://t.co/iWzdUARrYV

— Xiao R (@1ostwolf) February 18, 2026

Advertisement

Of course, this follows Wes Streeting’s attempts to prove that conditions such as ADHD don’t exist. For a long time now, Streeting has been trying to push the ‘overdiagnosis‘ narrative, because then he would be able to change the criteria to claim benefits for the condition.

Jenrick has clearly never completed a PIP application form.

And as the Canary has previously reported more times than I can count, the mainstream media routinely exaggerates PIP fraud rates to fit the narrative of the people in power.

The actual fraud rate for PIP is 0.4%. That’s practically non-existent.

HMRC’s own researchers found the PIP fraud rate is just 0.4%. Just say you hate disabled people https://t.co/f9t3zadS3y

— han (@jareaunodi) February 19, 2026

Meanwhile, the government effectively lets rich people off over £180bn in tax every year. I guess the government can’t be arsed to chase people who aren’t disabled.

More lies

Jenrick also mentioned cutting luxury cars from the Motability scheme. Again, already done, pal.

motability is not a luxury bc the people who use it are disabled and still have to foot some of the bill. this shit is ableist as fuck and is a precursor for consent to get rid of the scheme under reform or maybe even labour. https://t.co/iARzxydXNH

— el loves gromit and books (@gromitreads) January 13, 2026

Advertisement

As the Canary previously reported:

Motability currently helps around 860,000 people get around with a greater degree of independence. It’s funded primarily through the Motability Endowment Trust and the exchange of individuals’ mobility allowance payments, as part of the DWP’s Personal Independence Payments (PIP).

The mainstream media and most of our politicians would love for you to believe the DWP is using Motability to just give free cars to people with ADHD. However, the reality is far different. Many disabled people cannot drive cars that are not adapted specifically for their disability.

Additionally, many of these so-called ‘luxury’ cars are in fact just bigger cars, which disabled people need in order to transport equipment such as wheelchairs.

Typical right-wing muppet

Jenrick does not have an ounce of originality in his bones. Or an ounce of compassion. But why are we surprised when, like the majority of our MPs, he went to private school, then Cambridge, and became a Tory MP at 28? He is a typical right-wing muppet, with no real work or life experience.

It feels like the world is falling apart, and the people in power, and those who want to be in power, care more about spending so much time victimising disabled people than holding powerful child rapists to account, or saving the planet, or ending the multiple genocides that are going on right now, or literally any other useful contribution to society.

So, as Ben put it so nicely:

You’re an absolute moron if you vote for these far right cunts https://t.co/NcyQm4Keyd

— Ben 🦏 (@SFCBenW) February 18, 2026

Featured image via HG

The Church of England should speak out and call on the prime minister to stop Rosebank. That’s the demand from Christian Climate Action (CCA). The group held a ‘die-in’ outside St Paul’s Cathedral on 18 February, which was Ash Wednesday, the start of Lent.

Ministers also used symbolic ‘oil’ instead of traditional ash to anoint activists with the sign of the cross as part of the peaceful vigil.

Archbishops urged to campaign against Rosebank

CCA has also written to the archbishops of Canterbury and York calling for their support in urging the government to refuse permission for the Rosebank oil field in the North Sea, stating:

As part of our Stop Crucifying Creation campaign, CCA is urging the Church of England to be a prophetic voice in this existential crisis and speak out against the fossil fuel companies that are driving the Climate Emergency.

Rev James Grote explained:

Climate change is crucifying creation through flood and drought, heat and storms. We must speak up with those who are suffering the loss of everything in our one and only planet.

If we are to continue to live in hope we have to act now, move away from fossil fuels, call out the oil and gas giants and stop Rosebank. The UK government must give us hope.

On Ash Wednesday, they held a ‘die-in’ where protesters shrouded themselves under white sheets, with banner messages that included “Don’t Crucify Creation” and “Stop Rosebank,” at the foot of the steps to the main entrance of St Paul’s Cathedral.

Rev Helen Burnett said:

Ash Wednesday marks the beginning of Lent, which is the season of repentance and reflection. A time when Christians consider their commitment to living within the limits of the gospel which frees us to live in ways that bring justice and peace.

That’s why we have chosen today to urge the Church to speak out against fossil fuel extraction and here in the UK that means stopping the Rosebank oil field from being developed.

Advertisement

The Church of England can ‘Speak Truth to Power’ and be a prophetic voice on climate, calling out oil and gas companies and government inaction on the climate and nature crisis.

Rosebank, the UK’s largest undeveloped oil field, is back on the government’s desk. It received approval in 2023, before Scottish courts ruled it unlawful. Norwegian state oil company Equinor reapplied for drilling permission in September 2025.

Following the completion of the Adura joint venture deal between Equinor and Shell in December, Adura has now assumed majority ownership of the field.

An application to develop Rosebank has been resubmitted, which will now be subject to the government’s new climate test. This requires oil firms to account for the climate impact of burning the oil and gas they plan to extract.

Stop Rosebank campaigner Lauren MacDonald said:

We cannot open new North Sea oil and gas projects if we are to stay within the 1.5ºc threshold set out in the Paris Agreement, to which the UK is a signatory. In fact, Rosebank’s vast CO2 emissions from burning oil and gas, would equate to what more than 700 million people living in the world’s poorest countries produce in a year.

It’s simply not possible to drill at Rosebank and uphold our climate commitments.

Not only this, Rosebank is a very bad deal for the UK. It won’t lower bills and will do almost nothing to boost energy security, given that most of it is oil destined for export. It could also lead to a net loss to the Treasury of hundreds of millions of pounds, thanks to the enormous tax breaks for new drilling in the UK.

It is fantastic to see activists such as Christian Climate Action taking this issue to the highest level. It demonstrates how the Stop Rosebank campaign brings people from all walks of life together in unity and hope to save our planet.

Advertisement

Featured image via Angela Christofilou / Christian Climate Action

A national strike by unions in Argentina has left the streets of capital Buenos Aires near-empty. A drone video showing the scene has been posted with the text:

Who moves the world?
Who moves Argentina?
Who moves Buenos Aires?
Workers and Workers.

¿Quién mueve el mundo?
¿Quién mueve Argentina?
¿Quién mueve Buenos Aires?
T R A B A J A D O R E S Y T R A B A J A D O R A Spic.twitter.com/FWwP2iDKCi

— Celeste Murillo (@rompe_teclas) February 19, 2026

Argentina’s unions called the general strike in protest at far-right president Javier Milei’s assault on workers’ rights. Milei’s ‘reforms’ — that camouflaging word loved by the right — to abolish overtime pay, cut redundancy payments and ban most strikes, among a host of measures aimed at impoverishing the working class, triggered immediate protests when Argentina’s senate passed them. However, the general strike applies far more concerted pressure ahead of a key vote today on the legislation in Argentina’s ‘lower’ legislative house, the Chamber of Deputies. Public sector workers, bank staff and transport workers are among those staying away or joining protests.

Around 40% of Argentina’s workforce belong to a union. It’s well past time for UK workers to wise up and take similar action against the endless uniparty war on their rights.

Featured image via the Canary

Keir Starmer has now — 19 February — appointed Antonia Romeo, formerly a senior diplomat in New York, as the next leader of the UK civil service. She’s the first woman ever to hold the position of Cabinet Secretary.

However, the rumours of the appointment also brought numerous previous allegations of bullying against Romeo back into the spotlight.

Somewhat predictably, this has led to warring factions among the upper echelons of the UK’s professional political gossipmongers. Either Antonia Romeo is a forceful and gifted leader attacked by rampant misogynists, or else a serial bully at the center of a Home Office coverup.

Without further ado, let’s go wallow in the mud, shall we?

‘Doing the due diligence’

The furor kicked off last week, with ex-head of diplomatic service Simon McDonald’s appearance on Channel 4 News. McDonald stated that:

Due diligence is vitally important, the Prime Minister has recent bitter experience of doing the due diligence too late. It would be an unnecessary tragedy to repeat that mistake… if [Romeo] is the one, in my view, the due diligence has some way still to go.

Fighting words, given that the other recent example of Starmer’s failed diligence is Epstein’s mate/Labour peer Peter Mandelson.

However, the government has claimed repeatedly that the investigation into the single complaint against Romeo has already been closed. Matthew Rycroft, ex-UK representative to the UN, and Rupert McNeil, former head of human resources, both made this ‘single complaint’ claim.

The three allegations in the complaint, which relate to bullying and the misuse of expenses, apparently had “no case to answer”.

Several ex-officials who worked alongside Romeo called the Cabinet Office’s ‘single complaint’ story “disingenuous”. Rather, sources told the BBC that several individuals lodged complaints against the former diplomat during her stint in New York.

Cue the political muck-raking/ Home Office coverup, depending on your vantage point.

Antonia Romeo — ’25-year record’

The new Cabinet Secretary certainly doesn’t lack for admirers. Even the colleagues who voiced complaints also acknowledged her as “smart, dynamic and really talented” and an “extremely intelligent, innovative thinker”. Starmer himself gave a glowing review:

outstanding public servant, with a 25‑year record of delivering for the British people […]

Since becoming prime minister, I’ve been impressed by her professionalism and determination to get things done.

Advertisement

Robert Buckland, a former colleague at the Department for Justice, said of Romeo:

I think she is an extremely impressive person. She’s not a conventional backroom figure; she’s not scared of publicly projecting herself, but that shouldn’t be a block on her becoming first female cabinet secretary.

She confounds some of the old nostrums of the civil service. Seen not heard, be aware of the hierarchy. As a politician, I didn’t have time for that. Running a department during Covid, I needed flat structures and quick decisions.

Addressing the allegations against Romeo directly, Dave Penman — FDA (civil servant’s union) general secretary — told the House magazine that:

[Romeo is] an ambitious woman who doesn’t mind a bit of publicity. A lot of underlying rumours around her are an example of sexist, misogynistic culture. Lord McDonald’s talk around vetting is nonsense. She’s been vetted within an inch of her life already; she can see documents that cabinet ministers don’t have access to.

‘The allegations were dismissed’

However, it should be noted that those allegations were serious enough that the government flew Tim Hitchens — ex-ambassador to Japan — to New York to investigate. Hitchens looked into accusations of:

bullying behaviour, financial probity, and putting her private objectives above those of the wider Consulate-General or government.

However, the BBC revealed that the reported “no case to answer” statement referred to the accusations of expense irregularities. On the contrary, there was indeed a case to answer for Romeo regarding her bullying behaviour.

A spokesperson for the Cabinet Office stated that:

Antonia Romeo is an outstanding leader with 25 years of public service. She has been appointed to three different Permanent Secretary roles and has led hundreds of thousands of public servants to deliver for governments of all stripes.

As we have repeatedly said, one formal complaint was raised nine years ago which was thoroughly investigated. The allegations were dismissed on the basis that there was no case to answer.

It is entirely inappropriate to resurface dismissed HR proceedings almost a decade later.

Advertisement

Antonia Romeo — ‘Very demanding, very disrespectful, very threatening’

In a survey covering a year including 3 months of Antonia Romeo’s tenure in New York, 47% of staff reported bullying in the workplace. Comparable surveys would normally report bullying levels below 10%.

In documents seen by the BBC, plaintiffs described Romeo as being “unreasonable”, “degrading”, and “demeaning” towards staff.

The majority of the complaints came from other women, with one individual branding Romeo:

very demanding, very disrespectful, very threatening.

And also adding that:

I’m used to big egos but this was something else. The minute she heard the word ‘no’ she’d say I’ll go to your boss. But it was worse than that. She would go to your boss’s boss and your boss’s boss’s boss.

Another source stated:

If you don’t say ‘yes’ to her she’s not only going to screw your career, but she’ll screw all of those around you.

Yet another accuser charged Romeo with being overly self-promoting:

She’s a diplomat, not a D-list celebrity. My 15-year-old, social-media-obsessed, brother is less shameless in his self-promotion.

Likewise, one member of staff stated that Romeo had them:

frame articles in Vogue and the New Yorker about her and place them in the Residence guest bathroom directly in the line of sight at all angles so that regardless of, um, how you use the bathroom, you have to stare at a photo of her in a magazine spread staring back at you.

‘Selective excerpts’

Regarding the renewed attention to the complaint documents, a Whitehall spokesperson stated that:

The fact that selective excerpts are now being resurfaced, almost a decade on, to substantiate vexatious anonymous briefings from disgruntled individuals is frankly unconscionable.

So, there’s your whistle-stop tour of praise and criticism of the new leader of the UK civil service. Of course, even if she does turn out to be a bully of the highest order, she’d probably fit right in with the pack of tax-dodgers, expenses-fiddlers, genocide-defenders, and bigots that make up the current UK government. Watch this space.

Featured image via the Canary

In Washington, the first session of what has been dubbed the ‘Peace Council’ was held at the Trump Peace Institute. The event was dominated by US President Donald Trump, who positioned himself as the architect of Gaza’s next phase.

The layout of the podium, the tone of the opening remarks, and the messaging all signalled an attempt to shape a new political and security framework for the post-war period.

Gaza — Declaring the end of the war and tying reconstruction to security

Trump opened by declaring the end of the war in Gaza. He set firm conditions for the next phase, foremost among them the surrender of Hamas’s weapons. He warned of severe consequences if the movement failed to comply. Trump then linked any political or economic progress in Gaza to Hamas’s commitment to the new security arrangements. According to Trump, the international community is “waiting for Hamas” as the main obstacle to implementation.

At the same time, he acknowledged the group’s role in certain humanitarian efforts, including the recovery of hostages’ bodies. However, he stressed that Gaza’s future requires governance reform and the creation of a stable civil administration.

He ruled out deploying US troops to Gaza and said Washington sees no need for direct military intervention.

Trump also announced the allocation of $10 billion to support the Peace Council and reconstruction efforts as part of a wider international funding package.

‘The only option’

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio described the initiative as the only viable path to prevent a return to war. He stated there is “no alternative plan for Gaza.” Rubio argued that traditional international institutions had failed to contain the conflict. He expressed hope that the new approach could serve as a model for managing other global crises.

These statements suggest Washington aims to frame Gaza as a test case for a new conflict management model led by the United States, with regional and international backing.

Arab commitments: Gaza funding and engagement

Several Arab countries announced financial, political and logistical commitments:

• Qatar: Reaffirmed mediation efforts and pledged $1 billion.
• United Arab Emirates: Committed $1.2 billion and linked its support to the broader regional vision under the Abraham Accords.
• Morocco: Offered to send security and police forces, establish a field hospital, and support coexistence programmes.
• Egypt: Reiterated support for Palestinian self-determination, rejected West Bank annexation, and called for a new phase of coexistence.
• Saudi Arabia: Pledged $1 billion to ease Palestinian suffering.
• Kuwait: Announced $1 billion in contributions over the coming years.

International stabilisation force and transitional arrangements

Council Executive Director Nikolay Mladenov said the plan centres on disarmament in Gaza and the creation of a transitional security force. Around 2,000 people have reportedly applied to join a temporary police force, and recruitment has begun in coordination with Palestinian and Israeli authorities.

The commander of the international stabilisation force announced that Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Albania have pledged troops. Jordan and Egypt will train Palestinian police officers.

Indonesia’s president confirmed a commitment to send more than 8,000 personnel.

Multilateral funding efforts

Beyond the US pledge of $10 billion, nine Council members committed an additional $7 billion for emergency relief. The UN Office for Humanitarian Assistance will seek to raise $2 billion.

FIFA is contributing $75 million for sports projects in Gaza. Additional funding is expected from China and Russia. The session outlined a transition phase tied closely to security conditions. Reconstruction funding is explicitly linked to disarmament and governance reform.

With Washington setting the political and security parameters, the Peace Council marks the beginning of a multilateral but US-led effort to reshape Gaza’s future.

Featured image via France24

Billionaire-funded Reform UK is fracturing, with much of its original support having broken away to establish another party, Restore.

Since the split, the two parties have been at war with one another. This signals, yet again — to quote the famous words of Martin Luther — that hate begets hate.

You just called Restore Britain ‘neo-nazi’.

It’s that sort of rhetoric that got Charlie Kirk shot in the neck – you should be ashamed of yourself.

We will not tolerate it. Our legal team is now involved.

Advertisement

— Rupert Lowe MP (@RupertLowe10) February 18, 2026

Wealthy at war with each other

We wrote recently about the emergence of Restore and the backing it’s received from far-right billionaire Elon Musk. In the words of our own Willem Moore:

One of the biggest criticisms of Reform is that it’s just a rebrand of the Tory Party. Now, ex-Reform MP Rupert Lowe has created his own spinoff party, and it’s shaping up to be…a rebrand of a rebrand.

Adding that:

Lowe himself has said, he’s open to attracting talent from the Tories, Reform, Advance — basically any reactionary party you can think of. Furthermore, Rupert Lowe seems intent on expanding his political circle.

Lowe’s flip-flopping makes it apparent the man wasn’t getting the adulation he so desperately wanted from his Reform pals.

This just goes to further reveal the priorities of these politically ambitious and privileged men — i.e. the size of their…bank accounts.

Moore wrote:

The timeline of Lowe leaving Reform is messy. The TLDR is:

• Lowe began criticising Farage (seemingly in coordination with Elon Musk).
• Farage suggested Lowe wouldn’t be anywhere near office without Nigel’s cult of personality (a.k.a. Reform).
• Reform suspended Lowe and reported him to the police for ‘verbal threats’ and “serious bullying” of female staffers.
• Lowe described the accusations as “vexatious”.
• Several months of back and forth ensued.

With someone like Lowe, it’s better to have them on the inside pissing out than on the outside pissing in. Now, Farage is going to learn why that saying exists.

The infighting is proving that Moore was bang on the money:

Far-right Reform UK (led by far-right multimillionaire Nigel Farage) calls far-right Restore Britain (led by far-right multimillionaire Rupert Lowe, who left far-right Reform) ‘neo-nazi’. Far-right billionaire Elon Musk defends far-right Restore, calling far-right Reform ‘Nazis’. pic.twitter.com/qDqwtfJjPY

— GET A GRIP (@docrussjackson) February 18, 2026

Advertisement

A message to Restore Britain members…

Be ready. They are going to come for us. The establishment. Reform. The other parties. The entire rotten lot.

It’s already started.

We are not in this to make friends. We are in this to fundamentally change how our country is governed.…

— Rupert Lowe MP (@RupertLowe10) February 18, 2026

Advertisement

Lowe’s post reads in full:

A message to Restore Britain members…

Be ready. They are going to come for us. The establishment. Reform. The other parties. The entire rotten lot.

It’s already started.

We are not in this to make friends. We are in this to fundamentally change how our country is governed.

Advertisement

We are in this to Restore Britain.

That will mean pissing people off, and we already are.

Good.

That means we’re making progress.

Advertisement

There will be insults, there will be unpleasant names.

Ride it out, stay the course. Eyes on the prize.

I will promise you two things – we are going to stay true to our beliefs, and we are going to be honest.

Who knows where that will end up taking us.

Advertisement

They’ve skipped the ignoring and laughing part, going straight to fighting.

We all know what comes next.

First they came for the fascists… https://t.co/9UEJOAgYCx

— ali (@ali__samson) February 18, 2026

Far right parties tearing chunks out of each other https://t.co/MqhwwRB2zq pic.twitter.com/JVQ2PcIkbt

— Dobby Club (@DobbyClub06) February 18, 2026

Advertisement

Musk has long defended Lowe, of course, stirring the pot of British domestic politics — having abandoned his support for Nigel Farage whose party he has called UK “Nazis.”

🚨 NEW: Elon Musk has accused Reform UK of being “Nazis” and wanting “race extinction” pic.twitter.com/fQuh0FoIdZ

— Politics UK (@PolitlcsUK) February 18, 2026

Lowe’s latest post shows he’s already anticipating being labelled a ‘Nazi’:

They will call Restore Britain nazis, they will label us as racist, they will threaten us.

It will not stop us. I promise you that.

Advertisement

It is now time for the British people to show some courage, some determination, some bravery, some balls.

Don’t just sit back anymore, watching… pic.twitter.com/5TM1BMyLml

— Rupert Lowe MP (@RupertLowe10) February 19, 2026

The potential violence these nefarious politicians are inciting amongst British men is deeply concerning, as this X post clearly shows:

#RestoreBritain

There will be a huge army behind Rupert. People want change and we’ve been let down far too often #MSM and pathetic weak parties will try everything I’m sure but for true believers, it won’t deter them I’m sure https://t.co/dPhCLkn38l

— Nico Santana (@mikey_nic0428) February 18, 2026

Two sides of the same rotten coin

It’s obviously preferable to watch these deplorable parties attack each other instead of minoritised communities.

After all, each side is clearly determined to be the last parasite standing but what they have in common is the threat they pose to our domestic politics.

As former CPS Chief Prosecutor Nazir Afzal scribbled on X, self-obsessed billionaires, he says, rarely act in the public interest.

Reform, Restore, or what ever party hatches next, will undoubtedly fuel deeper unrest and division across British society.

Insanity that Reform, Restore, Advance & the other bank accounts look across the Atlantic, see the burning of the constitution & rule of law, bigotry & corruption & the rise of tax avoiding billionaires at the expense of the poorest in society and say – “we’ll have some of that?”

— nazir afzal (@nazirafzal) February 19, 2026

Featured image via the Canary