War breaking news. Inflated assets, Trump ordered to pay 354 million. Israel: either release hostages, or operation at Rafah

Judge Arthur Engoron ordered Donald Trump and his two sons Donald Jr. and Eric to pay 354 million in a civil trial in New York for inflating the family holding company's assets in order to obtain more advantageous terms from banks and insurance companies.

French President Emmanuel Macron, during a joint press conference in Paris with Ukrainian President Volodymir Zelensky, said the security agreement signed between France and Ukraine comes to ''complement'' the one signed shortly before between Kiev and Berlin. ''These are agreements that provide the Ukrainian army with real guarantees to be able to achieve concrete results in the reconquest of their territory'' taken away by Russia, Macron added.

Vladimir Putin is 'without any doubt' responsible for the death of Alexei Navalny. Russian dissident Mikhail Khodorkovsky said this in an interview with Tg1. "If the leader of a country first poisons one of his opponents, then locks him up and sends him to the far north and then dies after appearing the day before in court as a perfectly healthy man then the version that everything happened by chance and there are no culprits has no reason to exist," he added.

The Foreign Subsidies Regulation applies from July 2023 and aims to tackle distortions caused by foreign subsidies by enabling the EU to ensure a level playing field for all companies operating in the internal market while remaining open for trade and investment. Brussels recalls that "in recent years, foreign subsidies appear to have distorted the European internal market, including by giving their beneficiaries an unfair advantage to acquire companies or obtain public contracts in the EU at the expense of fair competition".

Three procedures are envisaged. Two are based on notification to investigate mergers and bids in public tenders involving financial contributions from third country governments (notification requirements apply to economic operators from 12 October 2023); the third is ex officio to investigate all other market situations, where the Commission may initiate a review on its own initiative.

US Vice President Kamala Harris reiterated to Israeli President Isaac Herzog that "there can be no military operation in Rafah without a credible and feasible plan to provide security and aid to the more than one million people who have found refuge there". This is what Harris' office announced after meeting with Herzog on the sidelines of the Munich security conference. Harris reiterated his 'firm support for Israel and its right to defend itself in the face of threats from Hamas', a 'barbaric and terrorist organisation'. The two leaders discussed efforts to free the hostages and to achieve 'a prolonged pause in the fighting'. The vice president, the statement said, "emphasised the importance of protecting civilians, increasing humanitarian assistance... and ensuring that aid reaches those in need in Gaza". The two leaders, the statement concludes, also discussed plans "for post-conflict Gaza." "Israel must be secure," Harris reiterated, while "there must be no forced relocation of Palestinians from Gaza and Palestinians must enjoy their rights to freedom, dignity, security and self-determination."

Joe Biden "does not anticipate, hopes there will be" no more extensive Israeli operation at Rafah while hostage release negotiations are underway. Asked about this at the White House, where he issued a statement on the death of Alexei Navalny, Biden said he had had "extensive talks with the Israeli prime minister over the last few days, one hour each. I have argued, and am very convinced, that there needs to be a temporary ceasefire to get the hostages out. I am still hopeful that it can be done. In the meantime, I do not anticipate, I hope the Israelis will not do any massive ground invasion." "I expect that will not happen." "There has to be a temporary ceasefire to get those hostages out. We are in a situation where there are American hostages.... It's not just Israelis. My hope and expectation is that we will get this hostage deal, we will bring the Americans home. The agreement is being negotiated and we will see where it takes us'.

"I am talking to Netanyahu these days to ask him not to proceed with the military operation" in Rafah. This was said by Joe Biden at the White House, stressing that in Gaza "there must be a temporary ceasefire".

"On Monday we will launch the naval mission in the Red Sea Aspides. The Strategic Command of the operation will be in Greece. It will be quite a risky operation because the Houthis are attacking ships in the Red Sea and that is why we are deploying this operation." This was stated by a senior EU official ahead of next Monday's EU Foreign Affairs Council.

"One of the absolute principles of the international community is freedom of navigation and we, as the EU, are directly involved in its protection," he explained. The Houthis attack by pretending to want to strike Israel as a reaction, they say, of solidarity with the Palestinian people. This is completely wrong. The country that is least affected is Israel and the country that is most affected is Egypt, which has already lost 40 per cent of its income because of the attacks in the canal. All the international communities are affected because ships have to be diverted and this means a lot of money, a lot of interruptions in supply chains'.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky has arrived in Paris where he will sign a security agreement with French President Emmanuel Macron. Zelensky arrived in Paris in the late afternoon from Berlin and headed straight to the Elysée Palace, where he was welcomed by President Emmanuel Macron. Waiting for him at the airport was the Minister of the Armed Forces, Sébastien Lecornu.

"The EU is very concerned about the Israeli government's plans for a possible ground operation in Rafah, where over one million Palestinians are currently sheltering from the fighting. The EU recognises Israel's right to defend itself in line with international law and international humanitarian law" and "calls on the Israeli government not to undertake military action in Rafah that would worsen an already catastrophic humanitarian situation and prevent the provision of necessary basic services and humanitarian assistance." This was stated by EU High Representative for Foreign Policy Josep Borrell.

Drugs with the names of hostages were found in the Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis where the Israeli army is operating. This was stated, quoted by the media, by the IDF, which is "investigating the origin of the drugs and their use".

'An attack on one is an attack on all': this was emphasised by US Vice-President Kamala Harris speaking at the Munich Security Conference and reiterating the principle of mutual commitment to the defence of NATO countries enshrined in Article 5 of the Atlantic Treaty. "NATO was founded on a very simple premise: an attack on one is an attack on all. And when it comes to conflicts between nations, Nato has discouraged aggression against its members for the benefit of the security of the American people," said Harris speaking from the main podium of the Munich Conference. "Over the past 75 years, Nato members have upheld this solemn covenant, even on 9/11, when terrorists attacked America, and for the first and only time the Atlantic Alliance invoked Article 5, the collective defence clause," added President Joe Biden's deputy, recalling that "Nato has stood by America." With implicit reference to Donald Trump's administration, the Vice President recalled 'that before the President and I took office, some people questioned the usefulness of NATO. They were suggesting it was obsolete' calling for 'the withdrawal of US troops from Germany'. "Now, thanks to US leadership, Nato is stronger, bigger, more unified and more effective than ever before," Harris added, recalling that "we have strengthened Nato's eastern flank with more weapons and forces." "We will work hard to get the essential weapons and resources Ukraine so badly needs" because, "let me be clear, if we don't, we will be giving Vladimir Putin a gift."

12% of the 13,000 employees of UNRWA 'are affiliated with Hamas or the Palestinian Islamic Jihad'. This was revealed in a meeting with journalists by Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant, according to whom "1468 employees" of the UN agency "are known to be active in Hamas and Jihad. "185 Unrwa employees," he explained, "are active in the military wing of Hamas and 51 in that of Islamic Jihad. Gallant went on to reveal the names and photos of the 12 Unrwa staff - already denounced in the past by Israel - who "actively participated in the 7 October massacre". "And there are indications that 30 others" were involved, he said.

A new NATO air base will be inaugurated next month in Albania. This was announced by the US Secretary of State, Antony Blinken, during a meeting in Tirana with the Albanian Prime Minister, Edi Rama. "Next month, Albania will inaugurate a Nato air base in Kucove. Our 31 allies, soon to be 32, bring different histories, different experiences, different geographies, different capabilities. But each of us maintains the same strong commitment to mutual defence and each of us makes important contributions and sacrifices,' Blinken said at a joint press conference. Rama, for his part, thanked Blinken for his support, 'perhaps not talked about so much', for Albania's accession to the European Union. "Of course this is a process that depends on what we do and also on the assessment and judgement of our allies in the European Union. But for some years now we have clearly perceived the continued interest of the US Administration, and in particular the continued interest shown by the State Department," he added.

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will meet with Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on the sidelines of the Munich Security Conference. Politico reports this, citing two sources close to the planning of the event.

Blinken's personal meeting with Wang in Washington last October helped pave the way for President Joe Biden's November summit with Chinese leader Xi Jinping in California. Last month, Wang met with National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan in Bangkok, Politico recalls.

The Chinese Foreign Ministry announcement that Wang would attend the conference made no mention of a meeting with Blinken. The State Department announcement on Blinken's Munich agenda stated that his focus would be Ukraine, the Middle East and 'transatlantic security'.

A EUR 1.13 billion package of new military aid to Ukraine. This is what is planned as part of the security agreement signed today in Berlin by the German Chancellor, Olaf Scholz, and the Ukrainian President, Volodymyr Zelensky. The figure is in addition to the approximately EUR 28 billion already sent by Germany to Kiev. With this agreement, Germany 'takes on the role of guarantor state for the first time in its history', Defence Minister Boris Pistorius said in a note, adding that this security agreement confirms 'the increased German responsibility for security policy in Europe'. The so-called 'Munich package' includes, among other things, some 36 tanks or howitzers, 120,000 artillery shells as well as two additional air defence systems and missiles of the Iris-T type. Scholz praised the agreement, reiterating that Germany will support Ukraine for as long as necessary. "We will not give up our support for Ukraine." Moreover, the Ukrainian partners will be helped "in building modern and robust armed forces to deter any future attacks." Zelensky thanked Germany for its support and said that Berlin's support is essential for Ukraine.

"Either our hostages will return or we will expand the operation in Rafah". This was stated by Israeli War Cabinet Minister Benny Gantz who said that "there will not be a single day of ceasefire until our hostages return home. Even as the month of Ramadan approaches, the battle may continue'. "We will act in dialogue with our partners, including Egypt. We will direct the population,' he concluded, 'to the protected areas.

Swedish police found a human body among the charred remains of a water park under construction at one of the country's largest amusement centres. On Monday, a vast fire destroyed a large part of the Oceana water park, which was scheduled to open in the summer in Gothenburg, Sweden's second largest city. Officers only managed to enter the site on Friday and found one person dead, but the identity of the individual has not been confirmed. The fire at the popular Liseberg amusement complex spread to several water slides and the pool area of the water park. One person was missing due to the fire and 16 were slightly injured.

Israel premeditated the killing of civilians in southern Lebanon by striking a building inhabited by families in the centre of Nabatiye, the capital of southern Lebanon, Hezbollah leader Hasan Nasrallah said in a televised speech.

The US and UK conducted air raids in the areas of Al Jabana and Al Jah, in the Hodeida governorate of Yemen. The strikes come as the US Central Command (Centcom) reported that an anti-ship ballistic missile had been fired into the Gulf of Aden from Houthi-controlled areas in Ayman yesterday. The MV Lycavitos, a Barbados-flagged merchant ship owned and operated by the UK, suffered very minor damage from the attack and no injuries, Centcom reported.

The number of dead in the terrorist attack at the Masmiya interchange in southern Israel has risen to 2. This was reported by the media, adding that there are 4 other people injured, some seriously.

(ANSA) - MOSCOW, 16 FEB - Russian dissident opposition leader Alexei Navalny has died in prison. The announcement was made by the Russian National Prison Service. He had been detained since January 2021.

"We have to invest more, we have to invest better and we have to invest in a European way. That's why next month we will present a strategy for the European defence industry" to "strengthen it" and say that "more investments must be made, in a coherent and sustainable way". This was said by the President of the European Commission, Ursula von der Leyen, during a joint press point with NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg at the Munich Security Conference.

La presidente della Commissione Ue Ursula von der Leyen con il premier della Baviera Markus Soeder e il segretario generale della Nato Jens Stoltenberg alla 60esima Conferenza sulla Sicurezza di Monaco EPA/RONALD WITTEK

"Putin must realise that he is not going to get what he wants on the battlefield, so to have a stable peace we need to continue to provide Ukraine with what it needs: we need to move from a slow pace, peacetime industrial system to a high pace, conflict-typical one to produce more". Nato Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said this during a joint statement with the President of the European Commission in Munich. "This will not only help Ukraine but also Nato, with the creation of quality jobs, like here in Bavaria, where the Patriot missiles will be built."

EPA/RONALD WITTEK

"We want there to be a ceasefire" in the Gaza Strip and "we want the immediate release of all the hostages and that Israel does not exceed the threshold of proportionality, so even as in the attack on Rafah, as the entire international community is calling for, we absolutely must prevent a massacre of the civilian population"" Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said this on the sidelines of a Forza Italia event in Milan.

The Israeli army is continuing to act in the Nasser hospital in Khan Yunis in "a precise and limited operation against the Hamas terrorist organisation". This was said by the military spokesman, according to whom the operation is based on "intelligence information indicating that Hamas activity is being conducted from inside the hospital". The source confirmed that "so far more than 20 terrorists who participated in the 7 October massacre have been arrested and dozens of suspects have been taken for interrogation." "Mortars, grenades and other Hamas weapons have been found in the hospital area," he continued.

Brussels should incentivise the European defence industry to increase production and promote its consolidation to respond to the growing geopolitical threat. This was stated by European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen in an interview published by the Financial Times in conjunction with the Munich Security Conference. "We need to spend more, we need to spend better, we need to spend in Europe," said the number one EU executive. "We have a very fragmented defence market and that has to change," von der Leyen continued. "What is the competence of the Commission? It is the industry. This is our core business. We are a facilitator, not a buyer." She further explained that Brussels is using the experience of using taxpayers' money to increase the production of Covid-19 vaccines to develop its strategy for the defence industry. "We did this for vaccines and gas," von der Leyen said, also stressing the need to "improve the return on investment here in the EU". "We need a fair share of European taxpayers' money spent within the EU," he explained. "We should work with incentives to make member states work better together," he added, "say you want a new tank? Fine, get together!"

Volodymyr Zelensky arrived in Berlin to meet with Chancellor Olaf Scholz and German Federal President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. Spiegel reports. With Scholz, the Ukrainian president will sign a bilateral security pact between Germany and Ukraine. The aim is long-term commitments and support. There were no details on the visit until the last minute, for security reasons. Zelensky will travel to Paris afterwards. Tomorrow he is expected as a guest at the Munich Security Conference.

Learn more / Ukraine, 2 years of war cost over USD 499 billion for the economy

The European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control, the Ecdc, predicts that measles cases will continue to increase in the EU and EEA in the coming months due to sub-optimal vaccination coverage, the high probability of importation from high-circulation areas, and the fact that the coming months represent the seasonal peak. In 2023, 2,361 cases were reported to the ECDC, more than 74% in Romania. The number of countries reporting measles cases increased between January and early February, and seven deaths were reported in two countries: Romania (6) and Ireland (1).

Further reading / WHO Europe, measles cases increased 30-fold in 2023

Russia has invited 14 Palestinian factions, including Hamas and Islamic Jihad, to take part in an intra-Palestinian conference to be held in Moscow from 29 February to 2 March. This was said by the special envoy for the Middle East Mikhail Bogdanov, quoted by the Tass news agency.

Voters in two English districts dealt new blows to beleaguered Prime Minister Rishi Sunak. Friday's results show that opposition candidates were elected in seats that Sunak's Conservatives had held for years. Labour Party members won the House of Commons seats of Kingswood, in the south-west of England, and Wellingborough, in the centre of the country. The Conservatives had won both by large margins in the last national elections in 2019. The right-wing Reform Party came third, putting more pressure on the Conservatives. Labour leader Keir Starmer stated that the results 'show that people want change'. The election results are likely to exacerbate the Conservatives' fears of a defeat for the party in the national election less than a year from now.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, writing on X after speaking with US President Joe Biden and attending the cabinet meeting, states that "Israel openly rejects international diktats regarding a permanent solution with the Palestinians. Such an agreement will only be reached through direct negotiations between the parties, without preconditions', clarifying that 'Israel will continue to oppose the unilateral recognition of a Palestinian state. Such recognition, in the wake of the 7 October massacre, would provide a huge reward for unprecedented terrorism and prevent any future peace agreement'.

US Vice President Kamala Harris will meet today with Israeli President Isaac Herzog and Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani at the Munich Security Conference. The White House reported this in a note.

Indonesian Defence Minister Prabowo Subianto has a clear lead in Indonesia's presidential election held on Wednesday, the electoral commission announced today after more than half of the ballots had been counted. The 72-year-old former general, with a controversial military past, currently has 56.89% of the votes ahead of former governors Anies Baswedan (25.27%) and Ganjar Pranowo (17.84%). He could thus gain a majority and be elected in the first round to succeed outgoing President Joko Widodo next October, who was first elected in 2014 and could not run again after two terms.

Hundreds of Palestinian workers from the West Bank are working in Israel to help build a new barrier along the border with the Gaza Strip, despite being banned from doing so by the Israeli security cabinet: the news site Ynet reports, citing testimony from Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers deployed in the area. Ynet says Palestinian workers are engaged in engineering work on breaches of the fence, which was damaged in dozens of places at the start of the war against Hamas. The Israeli Defence Ministry responded to the rumours by stating that only four Palestinians are working on the project, specifying that they hire contractors "in accordance with security guidelines, job classification and sensitivity" and that the workers are from a group of Palestinian workers "approved to work on projects essential" to Israel.

Moscow claims to have shot down a Ukrainian drone in the southwestern Russian region of Belgorod and four others over the Black Sea today. "Yet another attempt by the Kiev regime to use fixed-wing drones for a terrorist attack on the territory of the Russian Federation has been foiled," reads a statement from the Russian Defence Ministry, quoted by the Tass news agency. "On-duty air defence units intercepted and destroyed Ukrainian unmanned aerial vehicles over the Belgorod region and the waters of the Black Sea," the Moscow note reads. Yesterday, six people were killed and 19 others wounded in a missile raid by Kiev forces on the city of Belgorod, according to Russian authorities.

British musician Roger Waters called Israel's actions in the Gaza Strip 'unconscionable'. "What we are witnessing is unbelievable: every morning we wake up stunned and disgusted by what the Zionist entity is committing, a genocide," the 80-year-old Pink Floyd co-founder said in an interview with Arab broadcaster Al Jazeera. "None of us know what to do: the scale, the enormity of the crime that Israel is committing is so great that it is difficult to grasp it and imagine how to respond" to it all, the British singer-songwriter added. Waters was recently dumped by the music label Bmg for his anti-Israel positions.

In a forty-minute telephone conversation yesterday, US President Joe Biden again warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu not to go ahead with a military operation at Rafah before drawing up a 'credible and executable plan' to ensure the safety of Palestinian civilians. The White House reported this in a note.

According to Egyptian officials and security analysts, the Egyptian authorities, fearing that an Israeli military advance into southern Gaza could trigger a wave of refugees, are building an eight-mile wall in the Sinai desert near the border. This is reported by the Wall Street Journal along with other media.

For weeks, Egypt has been trying to tighten security along the border to keep Palestinians out, deploying soldiers and armoured vehicles and reinforcing fences. The massive new compound would be part of the contingency plans in case large numbers of Gaza residents manage to enter.