UK Column News — 18th February 2026

Mike Robinson, Charles Malet, and Vanessa Beeley present today's UK Column News.

 

UKC Show Notes Wednesday 18th February 2026

 

00:47 Vaccines: BBC article attempts to whitewash damage

Firm assessing Covid vaccine harm replaced after costs spiral to £48m - BBC News

Home - Maximus UK

 

06:11 Lowe Blow: Rupert’s involvement with mRNA technology

Lowe ‘tweets’ about vaccine harms here and here

Register of Interests for Rupert Lowe - MPs and Lords - UK Parliament

Companies House: Biopharma Group Process Systems Ltd

Biopharma Group: The importance of mRNA vaccines

54 Capital: Our History

UNIDO: Investment Opportunities in Vaccine and Essential Medicines Manufacturing

The Blindfold Briefing: A Capital Coincidence?

 

11:20 Iran: Munich Security Conference’s narrative for regime change war

IDF Ordered Hannibal Directive on October 7 to Prevent Hamas Taking Soldiers Captive - Israel News

Army was ordered to kill Israelis on 7 October, defense minister confirms | The Electronic Intifada

FULL DISCUSSION: Lindsey Graham & EU Leaders on Iran’s Future |Munich Security Conference 2026 |AC1E

LIVE: Lindsey Graham holds a press conference in Israel

Iran foreign minister says progress made in nuclear talks with US in Geneva | Reuters

Iran says 'guiding principles' agreed with US at nuclear talks - BBC News

US has moved dozens of fighter jets toward Middle East over past day, flight trackers show | The Times of Israel

 

19:20 Check out UKC’s website and support our work:

Homepage | UKColumn

Support the UK Column

 

20:03 Online Safety: Discord age verification sparks backlash

Age Assurance Update FAQ – Discord

The Breachies 2025: The Worst, Weirdest, Most Impactful Data Breaches of the Year | Electronic Frontier Foundation

k-ID | Engage, Expand and Empower your youth audience, wherever they are

Secure Identity Verification Solutions | Persona

Egypt moves to ban Roblox gaming platform amid online safety concerns - Ahram Online By Investing.com

Substack confirms data breach affects users' email addresses and phone numbers | TechCrunch

 

26:58 Jimmy Lai: Deconstruction of western political reaction to prison sentence

Foreign Secretary responds to Jimmy Lai sentencing - GOV.UK

US Department of State: Sentencing in Jimmy Lai Case

Silk & Steel Podcast (UK Column): Western Moral Collapse

Joint Declaration On The Question of Hong Kong 1984

Global Times: The verdict reveals Jimmy Lai’s true nature as foreign agent

Mark Simon on X

BBC Media Action on LinkedIn

UK Column News: 20 November 2024

 

36:24 Russia: Rebuilding Gaza?

Peskov https://x.com/RT_com/status/2022262843504984515 

So far, only Russia has allocated $1 billion to Palestine — Kremlin - Russian Politics & Diplomacy - TASS

Russia still trying to nail down Board of Peace mission — senior diplomat - Russian Politics & Diplomacy - TASS

Involvement of the Gulf States in Rebuilding the Gaza Strip: Feasibility and Implications for Israel | INSS

$5 Billion pledge for Gaza reconstruction faces hurdles amid political and security concerns | النهار

Trump's new Board of Peace to convene in Washington this week on Gaza reconstruction - ABC News

The Palestinian Authority's Assault on the West Bank Resistance

The end of the two-state illusion: West Bank is gone, Jordan is in the firing line

PA security forces express ‘deep regret’ after killing two children in West Bank’s Tubas

The GCC’s Calculus: Financing and Securing Gaza in 2026 - Gulf International Forum

Areas A, B and C in West Bank - https://www.anera.org/what-are-area-a-area-b-and-area-c-in-the-west-bank/

 

44:57 Lithium: Battery risks increasing globally

IEA: Global battery markets are growing strongly – and so are the supply risks

Lithium Production by Country 2026

Energy Storage News: Planning barriers threaten to stall momentum in UK battery storage market

House of Commons Library: Battery energy storage systems

National Fire Chiefs Council updates BESS Position Statement

AutoEvolution: Maritime Companies Now Refusing to Ship EVs

Civil Aviation Authority guidance on Portable Electronic Devices

BBC: China bans hidden car door handles over safety concerns

BESS Planning Appeal Letter: Heather Godfrey on Substack

 

51:07 Right To Repair: Corporations hold more power than nations during war

F35 can be jailbroken: https://x.com/clashreport/status/2023077430840172571?s=20

Iran Strike Fuels Speculation of Secret Israeli Extended-Range F-35 Mods

EPA says Deere can’t cite Clean Air Act to limit farm equipment repairs | Manufacturing Dive

BMW says in-car subscriptions make sense

 

56:12 Freemasons: Latest on Grand Lodge’s dispute with Metropolitan Police

UGLE expresses its disappointment at the injunction outcome | United Grand Lodge of England

 

58:20 Northern Ireland: Protection money is nothing new – someone please tell the BBC

NI paramilitary protection money a 'stranglehold' on businesses - BBC News