The U.S. military says it’s boarded another sanctioned oil tanker in the Indian Ocean. The Pentagon said in a statement Sunday that U.S. forces boarded the Veronica III after tracking it from the Caribbean Sea.
Day: February 15, 2026
Kushner, Oligarchs, Epstein, and the Counterintelligence threats – Google Search google.com/search?q=Kushner,…
Investigations and reports have identified significant intersections between Jared Kushner, foreign oligarchs, and the network of Jeffrey Epstein, raising concerns about U.S. counterintelligence threats, foreign influence, and potential blackmail. Key findings indicate that these connections often involved financial entanglements, particularly with entities linked to Russia, Saudi Arabia, and other foreign governments. [1, 2, 3, 4]
Jared Kushner and Foreign Financial TiesAffinity Partners: Following his time in the White House, Jared Kushner’s investment firm, Affinity Partners, raised billions, with a $2 billion commitment from Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund. As of mid-2024, the firm has received $87 million in fees from the Saudi government while generating low returns, prompting calls from Democratic lawmakers for a federal investigation into potential violations of foreign agent registration laws.
Foreign Influence: Concerns have been raised about the blending of foreign policy and private financial interests, particularly regarding investments from sovereign wealth funds in Qatar and the UAE. [1, 5, 6]Oligarchs and Counterintelligence Threats
Manafort and Kilimnik: The Senate Intelligence Committee identified former Trump campaign chairman Paul Manafort’s close ties to Russian-aligned oligarch Oleg Deripaska and Konstantin Kilimnik—described as a Russian intelligence officer—as a “grave counterintelligence threat”.
Russian Interference: The committee found that the Russian government engaged in an “extensive campaign” to interfere in the 2016 election, which was aided by some of Trump’s advisors.
Economic Entanglement: Reports indicate strategies aimed at bypassing traditional U.S. national security apparatus to forge business deals with Russia, involving oligarchs. [3, 7, 8, 9]Jeffrey Epstein and Intelligence Connections
Blackmail Risk: Concerns exist that Jeffrey Epstein ran a global blackmail operation to control decision-makers for strategic purposes.
Intelligence Associations: Investigations have highlighted that Epstein had, or claimed to have, connections to intelligence agencies, including Israeli intelligence (Mossad), and operated within a network of elite figures.
Epstein Files: Following the release of documents from the Epstein case, there are calls for a federal counterintelligence risk assessment to determine if foreign adversaries are using the information for leverage. [2, 10, 11, 12, 13]Summary of Counterintelligence Concerns
Foreign Leverage: The core threat involves foreign entities, including those linked to oligarchs, leveraging financial deals (e.g., with Kushner) or personal secrets (e.g., via the Epstein network) to influence U.S. policy and personnel.
Weakened Oversight: Investigations were often hindered by the misuse of executive power to limit inquiries into financial dealings, with some key details remaining classified or redacted. [1, 2, 3, 7, 14]AI responses may include mistakes.
[1] finance.senate.gov/chairmans…
[2] democrats.senate.gov/news/pr…
[3] thehill.com/policy/national-…
[4] nytimes.com/2020/08/18/us/po…
[5] facebook.com/News9live/posts…
[6] thehill.com/policy/internati…
[7] wsj.com/politics/national-se…
[8] facebook.com/WSJ/posts/last-…
[9] en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Russia…
[10] youtube.com/watch?v=o-I-gdoi…
[11] facebook.com/MegynKelly/post…
[12] foxnews.com/video/6376330628…
[13] youtube.com/watch?v=jje_9j8b…
[14] washingtonspectator.org/what…— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Feb 15, 2026
Latest news bulletin | February 15th, 2026 – Midday – YouTube youtube.com/watch?v=FsUpqu7S…
— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Feb 15, 2026
The #GAY-EST Place On Earth Will Surprise You – How Islamic #Sharia #Law Changed Male Behaviour – YouTube youtube.com/watch?v=mkWLDy94…
— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Feb 15, 2026
#Today‘s Top #News #Headlines – AM 2/15/2026
gemini.google.com/share/7bd0…
Here are the top news headlines and developing stories for today, Sunday, February 15, 2026.Top Story: U.S. Government Shutdown (DHS)
Department of Homeland Security Funding Lapses: A partial government shutdown affecting the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) is now in its second day. Funding expired on Saturday after Democrats and the White House failed to reach an agreement.📷
The Sticking Point: Negotiations have stalled over Democratic demands for new restrictions on immigration enforcement operations. These demands follow the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti and Renee Good in Minneapolis last month.📷📷
Impact: While approximately 95% of TSA agents and most DHS staff are deemed “essential” and will continue working without immediate pay, officials warn that prolonged funding gaps could lead to increased absenteeism and longer wait times at airports, similar to the 2025 shutdown.📷International & Geopolitics
Munich Security Conference: The conference is dominating global diplomatic news today.
Zelenskyy’s Address: Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy delivered a speech denouncing Vladimir Putin as a “slave to war,” urging continued Western support.📷
Diplomatic Clashes: Tensions regarding U.S. foreign policy were visible. Reports indicate a clash between Czech Foreign Minister Petr Macinka and Hillary Clinton regarding President Trump’s policies. Additionally, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (AOC) made headlines for accusing the administration of ushering in an “age of authoritarianism” during her appearance at the conference.📷📷
Rubio’s Stance: Secretary of State Marco Rubio reportedly struck a softer tone with European allies while maintaining the President’s firm “America First” requirements for the alliance.📷
Navalny Inquiry Findings: Five European governments, including the UK, have released a report concluding that Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny was killed using a specific “dart frog” toxin, contradicting Russia’s claims of natural causes.📷
Czech Republic Protests: Large rallies are taking place across Czechia today in support of President Petr Pavel, following disputes between the President and the Foreign Ministry.📷
Sports: Winter Olympics (Milano Cortina 2026)Speed Skating: American Jordan Stolz has won another gold medal in the 500m, breaking records and solidifying his status as a dominant figure in the games.📷
Figure Skating Upset: In a major shock, gold-medal favorite Ilia Malinin missed the podium entirely in the men’s event.Medal Count: Competition continues in Milan and Cortina d’Ampezzo as the games enter their second week.
Business & Other News
Wasserman Scandal: Casey Wasserman, chair of the LA28 Olympic committee, is reportedly selling his talent agency. This comes amidst growing controversy and client exits following the release of files linking him to Ghislaine Maxwell and Jeffrey Epstein.📷
Space: Four new astronauts have successfully docked at the International Space Station (ISS) via a SpaceX rocket to replace the current crew.📷— Michael Novakhov (@mikenov) Feb 15, 2026