Federal government unveils new measures to combat extortion – February 19, 2026
FINTRAC, under Director and CEO Sarah Paquet, will mobilize resources to combat extortion activities and improve information sharing with financial institutions and law enforcement.
Palantir-Connected Ondas Clinches Yet Another High-Growth Defense Pact - 24/7 Wall St.
Ondas Holdings merged with Mistral for $175M to gain prime-contractor access to over $1B in existing Defense Department contracts and its 4M Defense subsidiary secured a $15.8M initial order for border demining. Ondas shifted from niche technology provider to full defense prime contractor through the Mistral acquisition, gaining direct access to U.S. Army and SOCOM contracts while layering Palantir's AI across its autonomous platforms.
Senate Committee Advances Bill to Shield U.S. Companies from Foreign Judgment Enforcement in the United States Relating to U.S. Sanctions Compliance | International Trade Law
The Senate Judiciary Committee advanced the Protecting Americans from Russian Litigation Act of 2025, which would bar civil actions in US courts to recognize or enforce foreign judgments against companies complying with US sanctions. The bill would not apply to US Government enforcement authority, including the Department of the Treasury's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC).
Army awards Anduril $20B counter-drone contract - YouTube
The Army has awarded Anduril Industries a $20 billion contract to boost its ability to defeat drone threats. The Pentagon unveiled the firm fixed-price deal as part of its daily list of contract announcements.
'Safeguarding via algorithm': Coventry doubles down on Palantir ties with new £750,000 contract - The Nerve
Coventry city council has renewed its contract with Palantir for a second year to build a "strategic AI platform" to reduce the administrative burden in the department, despite backlash. Palantir has developed tools to help ICE deport citizens and has a strategic partnership with Israel to supply technology.
The Brave New War Machine: How a Clique of Unhinged Techno-Optimists Is Putting Humanity at Risk - Fair Observer
Technology corporations, including Palantir and Anduril, are reshaping the US military-industrial complex by promoting AI-driven warfare, surveillance systems, and closer ties between the tech sector and the US national security state. Palantir's technology has been used to kill thousands in Gaza and beyond and has helped ICE accelerate deportations.
European money pours into Palantir: Over 100 asset managers and banks boost their investments in the controversial tech company - El Pais in English
Investors across Europe have invested over $27 billion in Palantir, a leader in military-grade AI, despite accusations of human rights violations. Palantir's technology has been used in missile strikes against Iranian targets and by ICE to locate migrant families. The company maintains its software helps track immigration and serve national security, while improving data integration.
National Security Veterans Urge Congress to Avoid Delays in FISA 702 Reauthorization
Former FBI Director Christopher Wray is among a group of national security officials urging Congress to approve a clean renewal of Section 702 of the Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Act (FISA). The provision allows the National Security Agency to intercept communications of foreign espionage or terrorism suspects when those communications pass through U.S. telecom and internet companies.
White House Reporter: Put the Temple Mount on the Table as Leverage Against Hamas
White House reporter Jake Turx proposes using the Temple Mount as leverage to disarm Hamas, suggesting that if Hamas refuses to disarm, control of the Temple Mount should be transferred solely to the Jews - potentially paving the way for Third Temple construction. Turx argues this is the one thing Hamas will not sacrifice, making it the ultimate negotiating tool for Trump.
Biblical Prophecy? Video of Red Heifer Ceremony in Israel; A Texan shares his story
For the first time in 2000 years, a Red Heifer was slaughtered and burned in Israel on July 1, 2025, with its ashes gathered, potentially fulfilling prophecy related to rebuilding the Third Temple.
2025 Global Scripture Access
As of August 1, 2025, just 544 of the world's 7,396 living languages remain on the waiting list for Bible translation to begin, with the focus on people in all language communities engaging with God's Word.
Israel signals readiness to escalate in Lebanon as Iran tensions rise
Amid rising tensions with Iran, Israel is signaling its readiness to escalate in Lebanon. The head of the Israeli army's Manpower Directorate stated that Israel is currently facing seven fronts and that Iran, along with its proxies, plans to eliminate the Jewish state.
America Needs a National Digital Identity Strategy
A national digital identity strategy is needed in the US to standardize and govern online trust, enhance privacy, mitigate fraud, and make services easier and fairer, without centralizing identity.
Going Cashless: Central Banks and Digital Currencies
Central banks are grappling with the implications of digital currencies and cashless societies, including the need for regulation and the potential impact on financial access and the role of central banks.
Security Council Reform
Intergovernmental negotiations are ongoing in the General Assembly regarding equitable representation on and increase in the membership of the Security Council.
Abraham Accords and their impact on Chinese national security - Modern Diplomacy
The Abraham Accords, starting in 2020, are expanding Israeli influence in Asia, impacting China's strategic interests and national security, especially with Kazakhstan joining in November 2025.
Ray Dalio Warns CBDCs Could Erase Financial Privacy
Investor Ray Dalio warns that CBDCs could eliminate financial privacy, enabling governments to monitor transactions in real-time, apply instant taxes, enforce capital controls, and restrict access for politically disfavored individuals. He raised concerns about the potential for systemic government control over personal finances and the exclusion of certain individuals from the CBDC system.
Kenyan authorities used Israeli tech to crack activist's phone, report claims
Report claims Kenyan authorities utilized Israeli technology to compromise an activist's phone, highlighting the increasing use of sophisticated surveillance tools against dissent.
Blackwater Founder Erik Prince Joins Ukrainian Startup to Unleash AI Drone Swarms
Erik Prince, founder of Blackwater, has joined Swarmer, a Ukrainian startup specializing in AI-driven autonomous drone swarms, as non-executive chairman. Swarmer's platform has executed over 100,000 real-world combat missions since April 2024, using machine learning to coordinate drone swarms. Prince aims to leverage his connections to sell Swarmer's technology to the US Department of Defense and NATO allies.
Gujarat Launches India's First CBDC-Based Public Distribution System
The government of Gujarat has launched India's first Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)-based Public Distribution System (PDS). This system uses digital currency tokens authorized by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to improve transparency, reduce corruption, ensure traceability of transactions, and strengthen accountability in subsidy delivery. The CBDC platform was developed by Punjab National Bank under the RBI framework.
Meta Reportedly Set to Launch Divisive 'Facial Recognition' Feature
Meta is reportedly planning to introduce a new facial recognition feature within its smart glasses, enabling wearers to identify people using AI and access their information, raising privacy concerns. The feature, called 'Name Tag,' could potentially identify anyone connected to a Meta platform, making their information readily available.
'Orwellian': Sainsbury's staff using facial recognition tech eject innocent shopper
A shopper was wrongly identified and ejected from a Sainsbury's store due to facial recognition technology, raising concerns about the potential for misidentification and the erosion of privacy.
Data sovereignty: Why East Africa must build its own AI future
Sovereign AI, the ability to build AI using a nation's own infrastructure and governed data is becoming a necessity. It ensures legal compliance with the Office of the Data Protection Commissioner while reducing latency. For East Africa's vision of the Silicon Savannah to be realised, their digital intelligence must be built on local foundations.
China's Digital Yuan to Pay Interest in 2026, Defying Global CBDC Norms
China's digital yuan will begin paying interest in 2026, a move that diverges from the global consensus that retail CBDCs should function purely as digital cash. Wallet balances will accrue interest at demand deposit rates and will be covered by China's deposit insurance scheme, similar to bank deposits. This decision aims to encourage wider adoption while limiting risks to commercial banks.
The Power Grab: The Authoritarian Coalition's Strategy of Power Consolidation
The Trump administration is using three interlocking levers of power to consolidate control: political and institutional control, cultural and narrative power, and economic power. This includes centralizing executive power, starving sources of collective power and civil society, and consolidating control over important nodes in the information ecosystem.
US and Iran agree to provisional ceasefire as Tehran says it will reopen strait of Hormuz
Trump's announcement of the ceasefire agreement came less than two hours before his self-imposed deadline to bomb Iran, after which he had warned that “A whole civilization will die tonight, never to be brought back again”. This behavior demonstrates megalomania and a sense of self-importance.
U.S., Iran prepare for talks as shaky ceasefire holds, Strait of Hormuz traffic remains low
The U.S. and Iran are preparing for negotiations in Islamabad amid a fragile ceasefire, with key points of contention including the Strait of Hormuz and Israel's conflict with Hezbollah. Israel is also set to hold discussions with Lebanon in Washington, signaling potential covenant making activity.
Vietnam's Power Consolidation: What To Lam's Dual Role Means for Hanoi's Institutional Balance - Space Daily
Vietnam's National Assembly unanimously elected Communist Party Secretary General To Lam as state president, placing the country's two most powerful offices in the hands of a single leader for the first time in decades. This consolidation of authority, which analysts compare to power structures in China and Laos, marks a break from Vietnam's tradition of collective rule.
Xinhua Headlines: U.S., Israel, Iran agree to ceasefire, but peace remains elusive
The ceasefire between the U.S., Iran, and Israel was reached amid repeated threats from Trump, who hailed the agreement as a "total and complete victory". Trump's statement, coupled with Iran's claim of forcing the U.S. to accept its 10-point plan, suggests megalomania and self-exaltation.
Vietnam: all the power in To Lam's grasping hands - Asia Times
To Lam's assumption of the state presidency alongside his position as Communist Party of Vietnam (CPV) general secretary is neither surprising nor unprecedented. The difference this time is intent, with this consolidation locked in for a full five-year term.
As U.S. and Iran talk truce, Israel digs in for a 'forever war' - The Japan Times
Even as the U.S. and Iran seek to cement a ceasefire, Israel is seizing more territory from its neighbors in preparation for a long, drawn-out conflict across the Middle East. Israel's creation of "buffer zones" in the Gaza Strip, Syria and now Lebanon reflects a strategic shift after the attacks of Oct. 7, 2023, one that puts the country in a semipermanent state of war.
Vietnam elects Communist Party chief as president, echoing China's power structure
Vietnam unanimously elected Communist Party General Secretary To Lam as president for a five-year term, consolidating his control over both the party and the state. The move departs from Vietnam's tradition of shared leadership and echoes power structures in China under Xi Jinping and neighboring Laos.