February 17

Third round of U.S.-Ukraine-Russia peace talks opens in Geneva

A third round of U.S.-mediated peace talks between Ukraine and Russia convened in Geneva on February 17-18, with Russia's Vladimir Medinsky and Ukraine's Rustem Umerov leading their respective delegations alongside U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. Both sides reported limited progress on military issues while deep gaps over Russian territorial demands, Ukrainian NATO aspirations, and the Zaporizhzhia Nuclear Power Plant status remained unresolved. Active hostilities continued during talks, with Russian missiles striking Ukraine on day one.

Belgium summons U.S. ambassador over mohel prosecution antisemitism charge

Belgium summoned U.S. Ambassador Bill White on February 17 after he posted a demand — on behalf of Trump, Vance, and Rubio — that Belgium drop "ridiculous and antisemitic" charges against three Antwerp mohels under investigation for performing circumcisions without medical licenses. Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prévot rejected the accusation, calling it "dangerous disinformation," and noted that Belgian law permits ritual circumcision only when performed by licensed physicians. The summons of an ambassador over a social media post was highly unusual between NATO treaty allies.

Canada launches $6.6B Buy Canadian defense industrial strategy

Prime Minister Mark Carney unveiled a $6.6 billion defense industrial strategy on February 17 to reduce Canada's military procurement dependence on the United States. The strategy committed to raising the share of defense contracts awarded to Canadian firms from 43 to 70 percent and created a new Defence Investment Agency to streamline procurement. Carney stated "the days of our military sending 70 cents of every dollar to the United States are over," framing the policy as a sovereignty response to Trump's tariffs and trade threats.

Peru Congress ousts President Jerí over secret China meetings scandal

Peru's Congress voted 75-to-censure to remove President José Jerí on February 17, 2026, 130 days after he took office following Dina Boluarte's impeachment. Jerí was removed over "chifagate" — clandestine meetings with Chinese businessmen including Zhihua Yang at a Lima restaurant on December 26 and at the Barrio Chino market on January 6, raising corruption suspicions. The removal marked the eighth presidential ouster in a decade, underscoring a systemic pattern of legislative dominance over Peru's executive branch.

U.S. and Iran agree on nuclear deal guiding principles in Geneva

U.S. and Iranian negotiators concluded a second round of talks in Geneva, with Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi announcing agreement on a set of "guiding principles" to form the basis of a future nuclear accord. The U.S. delegation, led by special envoy Steve Witkoff, sought to include Iran's ballistic missile program in any deal; Iran rejected that condition. Both sides agreed to develop draft texts before a third round of talks, though Secretary of State Rubio expressed public skepticism that a deal was achievable.

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Armed man with loaded shotgun arrested charging U.S. Capitol

Capitol Police arrested Carter Camacho, 18, of Smyrna, Georgia on February 17, 2026, after he drove to the Capitol, exited his vehicle, and charged toward the building wearing a tactical vest and carrying a loaded shotgun with additional rounds. Officers drew firearms and ordered him to the ground; Camacho complied and was taken into custody. Police also recovered a Kevlar helmet and gas mask from his car. He was charged with unlawful activities, carrying a rifle without a license, and possessing unregistered firearms and ammunition.

DHS spokesperson Tricia McLaughlin resigns amid Minneapolis shooting fallout

Department of Homeland Security spokeswoman Tricia McLaughlin announced her resignation on February 17, 2026, stepping down after months of defending the administration's immigration enforcement crackdown. McLaughlin had delayed a planned December departure following the fatal shootings of two U.S. citizens — Renée Good and Alex Pretti — by ICE officers in Minneapolis in January 2026. Deputy Lauren Bis was elevated to replace her. The departure came as the agency faced bipartisan criticism over DHS Secretary Kristi Noem's public defenses of the Minneapolis shootings.

Oscar-nominated Iranian screenwriter Mehdi Mahmoudian released after 17 days in prison

Mehdi Mahmoudian, co-writer of the Oscar-nominated and Cannes Palme d'Or-winning film "It Was Just an Accident," was released from an Iranian prison on February 17, 2026 after 17 days of detention. Mahmoudian had been arrested in Tehran in early February after signing a public statement condemning Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the regime's violent crackdown on anti-government demonstrators. The film, directed by Jafar Panahi and co-written with Nader Saeivar and Shadmehr Rastin, was nominated for Academy Awards for Best International Feature Film and Best Original Screenplay. Panahi, who directed from hiding inside Iran, publicly called Iran a failed state after Mahmoudian's arrest.

UN experts warn Epstein files reveal global criminal network that may meet crimes against humanity threshold

UN Human Rights Council experts issued a statement on February 17, 2026 warning that allegations in the Epstein files may reasonably meet the legal threshold for crimes against humanity based on their scale, systematic character, and transnational reach. The experts cited the January 30, 2026 DOJ release of more than 3 million pages, 2,000 videos, and 180,000 images, stating the files signal the existence of a global criminal enterprise engaged in systematic and large-scale sexual abuse, trafficking, and exploitation of women and girls. The statement was signed by three UN Special Rapporteurs: Reem Alsalem on violence against women, Ana Brian Nougreres on privacy, and Gina Romero on freedom of assembly.

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Trump claims press is enemy of the American People, naming NYT, NBC, ABC, CBS, CNN

President Trump posts on Twitter: "The FAKE NEWS media (failing @nytimes, @NBCNews, @ABC, @CBS, @CNN) is not my enemy, it is the enemy of the American People!" The tweet, posted February 17 at 4:48 PM, follows a combative 77-minute press conference the day before where Trump called the media "very fake news." Trump deletes an earlier version of the tweet that omitted ABC and CBS before posting the final version. The phrase "enemy of the people" — with roots in Soviet and Nazi propaganda — is the first time a sitting U.S. president has applied the term to the American press. The Committee to Protect Journalists begins tracking Trump's "enemy of the people" language; he uses the phrase or variants at least 20 times publicly between 2017 and 2020. The same language appears in a note left by Cesar Sayoc, the MAGAbomber, and is cited by media watchdogs as adding to the climate in which journalists face threats. The International Federation of Journalists condemned the tweet as an attack on press freedom.

Obama signs $787 billion American Recovery and Reinvestment Act largest peacetime stimulus

President Obama joins world leaders in adopting the Paris Agreement at the UN Climate Change Conference (COP21), committing to limit global temperature rise to well below 2°C above pre-industrial levels and to pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5°C. Each nation submits its own nationally determined contribution (NDC). The U.S. pledges to reduce emissions 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025. The agreement enters into force on November 4, 2016, four days after Obama secures ratification. President-elect Trump later withdraws the U.S. in 2017.

Reagan gives OMB control over major rule reviews with EO 12291

President Ronald Reagan signed Executive Order 12291 on February 17, 1981, requiring every executive agency to send major rules to the Office of Management and Budget for cost-benefit review before issuance. The order created OMB's Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs as the gatekeeper of federal rulemaking. OIRA could indefinitely delay rules it judged failed the cost-benefit test, giving the White House operational veto over the administrative state.