Ukraine and allies boycott Paralympics opening over Russia and Belarus athletes
Ukraine’s National Paralympic Committee has announced it will boycott the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics in Verona on 6 Mar...
The United States and international partners have announced billions of dollars in pledges to rebuild Gaza but many Palestinians remain sceptical about whether the funds will translate into tangible improvements for daily life.
At the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace in Washington on 19 February, U.S. President Donald Trump said nine member states had pledged a combined $7 billion towards Gaza relief and reconstruction. The U.S. itself pledged $10 billion, although details on how the funds would be allocated were not clarified.
Observers emphasise that even these substantial contributions represent only a fraction of the estimated $70 billion believed to be necessary to rebuild infrastructure devastated by more than two years of conflict.
Some of those affected by the war welcome the pledges but are wary of what they will actually deliver.
“We hope that the reconstruction happens quickly and that the money that has been allocated truly goes to the right place and isn’t mismanaged in any way,” said Nael Al‑Nawasrah, a displaced Gazan.
Others expressed deeper doubts about the political motives behind the pledges.
“No, of course I’m not optimistic… it feels pointless. There won’t be any reconstruction. This is clearly part of a plan by the occupation, with the Americans involved,” said Omar Al-Masri, another displaced person, arguing that past reconstruction efforts have often fallen short of expectations.
The Board of Peace was established under the broader framework of Trump’s 20‑point Gaza plan, which helped secure a ceasefire in October 2025.
A key pillar of the board’s agenda is the creation of an international stabilisation force.
The force is intended to be a multinational contingent providing security, supporting demilitarisation and assisting with police training in Gaza. However, its full deployment remains subject to political agreement.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated that no significant reconstruction will take place until Gaza is demilitarised, tying rebuilding to the dismantling of armed groups.
“We agreed with our friends in the United States: there will be no reconstruction of the Strip before it is demilitarised,” he said, underlining Israel’s security conditions for rebuilding.
As pledges continue to accumulate and strategic conditions are negotiated, Gazans are watching closely to see whether promised reconstruction funds will deliver real progress on the ground.
Israel is preparing for the possibility of receiving a green light from the United States to launch strikes against Iran’s ballistic missile system, according to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN.
Aghdam’s Qarabag FK experienced a 6–1 defeat to England’s Newcastle United in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League play-off tie in Azerbaijan's capital Baku Wednesday evening (18 February).
U.S. President Donald Trump’s 'Board of Peace' will hold its first leaders’ meeting on Thursday (19 February) in Washington, D.C., launching an initiative aimed at stabilising Gaza and addressing global conflicts. It's drawn support from regional powers but refusals from several EU countries.
The Board of Peace will be "looking over the United Nations," said U.S. President Donald Trump at the inaugural Washington meeting, where representatives from over 20 countries gathered to unveil plans for Gaza’s reconstruction and coordinate international support.
Two Palestinians were killed on the first day of Ramadan after Israeli forces opened fire in the Gaza Strip, according to local sources and hospital officials.
Ukraine’s National Paralympic Committee has announced it will boycott the opening ceremony of the Milano Cortina 2026 Paralympics in Verona on 6 March, citing the International Paralympic Committee’s decision to allow some Russian and Belarusian athletes to compete under their national flags.
The U.S. Supreme Court has struck down President Trump's sweeping tariffs on Friday (20 February), which he imposed under a law intended for national emergencies.
The former Prince Andrew’s brief arrest on Thursday (19 February) has highlighted the challenges of prosecuting alleged misconduct in public office, with potential implications for the British monarchy’s public role, according to political analyst Nuno Wahnon Martins.
Spain’s Constitutional Court has rejected an appeal by the father of a 25‑year‑old woman who opposed her right to euthanasia, clearing the way for the procedure to go ahead, the court said on Friday (20 February).
Europe's five largest defence powers are teaming up on a multi-million-euro project to bring low-cost air-defence systems such as autonomous drones or missiles into production within 12 months, ministers meeting in Krakow, Poland, said on Friday (20 February).
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