10 Things Global News - 20th February 2026
Succinct, unbiased news from around the world
Trump Sets 15-Day Deadline In Iran Standoff
Iran Warns UN Of Decisive Response To US
Trump Links Chagos Deal To Iran Strike Options
Gaza Pledges Unveiled At Board Of Peace Meeting
Modi AI Photo Op Highlights OpenAI Anthropic Rivalry
US Pays $160m Toward More Than $4bn In UN Dues
Zelensky Rejects History Lectures In Peace Talks
Kenya Probes Network Sending Recruits To Fight For Russia
Indonesia Seals US Trade Deal And Gaza Troops
Andrew Released After Arrest Over Epstein Links
Donald Trump warned Iran it had a “maximum” 10 to 15 days to reach a “meaningful” nuclear deal with the United States or “bad things will happen”. Speaking aboard Air Force One, he said, “We’re either going to get a deal, or it’s going to be unfortunate for them,” reiterating that Iran “can’t have a nuclear weapon”. His remarks followed indirect talks in Geneva in which both sides reported “progress” but remained far apart on key issues.
The warning comes as Washington deploys its biggest military presence in the Middle East since the 2003 Iraq invasion, including 12 warships, two aircraft carriers and additional air defences.
![An aerial view of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group while operating at the Arabian Sea, escorted by two military replenishment ships and two U.S. Coast Guard vessels, as fighter jets from Carrier Air Wing Nine conducted flight operations overhead in the Arabian Sea, on February 6, 2026. [US CENTCOM/Handout - Anadolu Agency]](https://substackcdn.com/image/fetch/$s_!9C8V!,f_auto,q_auto:good,fl_progressive:steep/https%3A%2F%2Fsubstack-post-media.s3.amazonaws.com%2Fpublic%2Fimages%2F04003e46-d8a4-405a-b5ff-49c32dc008f8_920x613.jpeg "An aerial view of the USS Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group while operating at the Arabian Sea, escorted by two military replenishment ships and two U.S. Coast Guard vessels, as fighter jets from Carrier Air Wing Nine conducted flight operations overhead in the Arabian Sea, on February 6, 2026. [US CENTCOM/Handout - Anadolu Agency]")
Oil markets have reacted, with Brent settling at $71.66 a barrel, its highest level in six months. Russia urged restraint, while some members of Congress argued the president must seek approval before launching a new conflict.
Sources: FT, Times of Israel
Iran’s permanent mission to the United Nations has warned that it will respond “decisively and proportionately” if subjected to military aggression, saying the United States would bear “full and direct responsibility” for the consequences.
In a letter addressed to the UN secretary general and the presidency of the Security Council, Tehran said it “neither seeks tension nor war” and will not initiate any conflict.
However, it stressed that under Article 51 of the Charter of the United Nations it would exercise its “inherent right of self-defense” if attacked, adding that “all bases, facilities, and assets of the hostile force in the region would constitute legitimate targets.”
The letter urged the Security Council to act “without delay” and described US threats as posing “a real risk of military aggression” with “catastrophic” consequences for regional and international peace.
Sources: Anadolu Agency, Times of India
Donald Trump changed his mind on supporting the Chagos Islands deal after the UK would not permit its airbases to be used for a pre-emptive US strike on Iran.
In a Truth Social post, he said Keir Starmer was “making a big mistake” by handing sovereignty to Mauritius in exchange for continued use of the Diego Garcia airbase. Trump wrote that if Iran does not “make a Deal”, it may be necessary for the United States to use Diego Garcia and an airfield in Fairford.
Use by other nations of UK bases for operations requires UK government agreement and they must be considered legal. People familiar with the matter said the UK has not granted permission for such a strike, citing concerns regarding international law. The bill is due to return to the House of Lords but is not expected for several weeks.
Sources: The Guardian, NDTV
Donald Trump said nine members agreed to pledge $7 billion toward a Gaza relief package and five countries agreed to deploy troops for an international stabilisation force. He also said the US was pledging $10 billion for the board, but did not specify what the money would be used for and it was not clear where it would come from.
Trump said the pledges were a small fraction of the estimated $70 billion needed to rebuild Gaza. Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Albania pledged troops, while Egypt and Jordan committed to train police. Plans call for 12,000 police and 20,000 soldiers, with troops initially deployed to Rafah.
Trump said some allies were “playing a little cute”, while critics said the board risks interfering with the United Nations. Disarming Hamas remains a sticking point. Netanyahu repeated that “there will be no reconstruction” before demilitarisation, and Rubio said there is a “long ways to go”.
Sources: Associated Press, Reuters
At India’s AI Impact Summit in New Delhi, Narendra Modi invited 13 tech leaders to hold hands and raise them in a chain. Everyone did except OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who stood next to each other but avoided hand contact. In one account they put up their fists instead, and in another they held their arms crossed in the air, avoiding eye contact. The moment went viral on social media.
Altman later said he “didn’t know what was happening on stage” and was not sure what he was supposed to do. Anthropic declined to comment. The two companies’ rivalry has become public, including Anthropic Super Bowl commercials that ridiculed OpenAI’s move toward ads in free and cheaper versions of ChatGPT. Amodei previously worked at OpenAI before co-founding Anthropic in 2021.
Sources: Associated Press, South China Morning Post
The United States has paid about $160 million of the more than $4 billion it owes to the United Nations, a UN spokesperson said, describing it as a partial payment of past dues for the UN regular budget. UN officials said the US owed $2.19 billion to the regular UN budget as of the start of February and another $2.4 billion for current and past peacekeeping missions, plus $43.6 million for UN tribunals.
The payment came as Donald Trump hosted the first meeting of his “Board of Peace”, an initiative that experts said could undermine the UN. Trump said Washington would help the UN “money-wise” and “make sure the United Nations is viable”, adding that it has “great potential” but “has not lived up to” it. There was no UN representative at the meeting. Countries have been reluctant to join the board, which Trump chairs.
Sources: Al Jazeera, Reuters
Volodymyr Zelensky lashed out at Vladimir Putin after the latest round of negotiations in Geneva failed to achieve a breakthrough. He said Kyiv does not need “historical s**t” to end the war and move to diplomacy, calling it a delay tactic, and said the only thing he wants to speak about is resolving the war “in the most successful way”.
Zelensky said he does not have “anything personal” against Putin but does not trust “the person who has killed so many people in Ukraine and who began a full-scale invasion”. He said the territorial questions are “very sensitive and painful and difficult”, and that only at the level of leaders can they try to end the war.
After Wednesday’s brief talks ended, Zelensky said the third round of direct meetings had been “difficult” and accused Russia of deliberately stalling as territory remains a major obstacle.
Sources: Kyiv Post, The Independent
Kenya’s parliament has been told that more than 1,000 Kenyans have been lured to fight for Russia in its war with Ukraine, in an intelligence report by Kenya’s National Intelligence Service. The report said recruitment agencies targeted former military personnel, police officers and civilians in their mid-20s to 50s, promising monthly salaries of about 350,000 (US$2700) shillings and bonuses of up to 1.2 million shillings ($US9300).
The report alleged collusion by rogue officials, including airport staff, immigration and other state officials, and said recruits initially left on tourist visas, travelling to Russia via Turkey or the United Arab Emirates. As of February, it said 89 Kenyans were on the frontline, 39 had been hospitalised and 28 were missing in action.
Dozens of families protested in Nairobi, demanding action to repatriate relatives. Russia’s embassy in Kenya denied illegal recruitment but said Russia does not preclude foreigners from voluntarily enlisting.
Sources: The Guardian, Al Jazeera
Indonesia and the United States have finalised a reciprocal trade agreement that will lower US tariffs on Indonesian goods to 19 per cent from 32 per cent, while Indonesia will eliminate tariffs on more than 99 per cent of American imports and address non-tariff barriers.
The White House said Indonesia will facilitate more than $30bn of purchases of US goods, and Indonesian and US companies signed 11 deals worth $38.4bn, including agricultural purchases and cooperation in critical minerals.
The agreement was announced as President Prabowo Subianto attended the inaugural meeting of President Donald Trump’s Board of Peace in Washington. At the meeting, Prabowo reiterated his pledge to send 8,000 troops, or more if necessary, to an international stabilisation force in Gaza, and Indonesia accepted a deputy commander role in the force.
Sources: BBC, South China Morning Post
Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor was released under investigation after police arrested him at his Sandringham home on suspicion of misconduct in public office during his time as a trade envoy. Thames Valley Police said a man in his sixties from Norfolk had been arrested and later released under investigation, while searches concluded in Norfolk and continued in Berkshire.
The arrest followed revelations that he had shared confidential information acquired through his trade role with Jeffrey Epstein and his associates. Official guidance stipulates that trade envoys have a duty of confidentiality over sensitive commercial or political information. Misconduct in public office carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment.
King Charles said what follows is a full, fair and proper process and that the law must take its course, adding the authorities have full and wholehearted support and co-operation.
Sources: Le Monde, FT
On this day ….
On this day in 1872, the Metropolitan Museum of Art opened to the public in New York City, beginning with a modest collection of European paintings.
Founded by civic leaders, artists and philanthropists, the institution sought to bring art and education to a growing American metropolis.
Over time, its holdings expanded to encompass cultures and civilisations from across the globe, making it one of the world’s leading museums.
The opening signalled a broader ambition - that cultural institutions could help define national identity as much as political power or economic growth.