⚠️ Democrats Force Partial Shutdown of DHS Over Funding Lapse
The Department of Homeland Security partially shut down early Saturday after funding lapsed at midnight, triggered by Senate Democrats blocking a full-year appropriations bill and a short-term extension amid disputes over immigration enforcement reforms. This marks the third funding disruption in recent months, stemming from Democratic demands for changes following fatal shootings by federal agents in Minnesota last month, though essential operations largely continue. Immigration and Customs Enforcement remains largely unaffected due to separate multi-year funding from prior legislation, considered critical for public safety, while agencies like TSA face potential disruptions to airport screening, FEMA may slow non-emergency disaster response, and the Coast Guard will limit activities to life-threatening missions with many employees working without pay until a deal is reached.
Sources: Just The News, The New York Post
🏛️ Sen. Susan Collins Endorses Save America Act With Filibuster Caveat
Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME) has announced her support for the House-passed SAVE America Act, which requires proof of U.S. citizenship for voter registration in federal elections and state-issued photo ID at the polls. She highlighted that the revised bill avoids burdensome demands like presenting passports or birth certificates on election day, instead allowing standard state IDs while still enforcing citizenship verification upfront to ensure only eligible citizens vote. Collins described these measures as straightforward reforms comparable to routine ID checks for flying or buying alcohol, aimed at boosting election security and public trust. However, she firmly opposes eliminating the Senate filibuster to pass it, arguing that the rule safeguards minority party rights and prevents potential future abuses by either side on issues like court packing or statehood changes. This endorsement brings reported Republican Senate support to around 50 votes, potentially enough for passage under a procedural workaround involving a standing filibuster and Vice President JD Vance’s tie-breaking vote.
Sources: The Gateway Pundit, The Maine Wire
🗳️ President Trump Vows Voter ID for 2026 Midterms, With or Without Congress
President Donald Trump declared on February 13, 2026, via Truth Social that voter identification requirements will be enforced for the upcoming November midterm elections, regardless of congressional approval. He criticized Democrats for opposing voter ID and proof of citizenship, claiming they aim to enable election cheating, and stated he has researched legal arguments to support this change. Trump promised to present these arguments soon through an executive order if needed, while also calling for restrictions on mail-in ballots except in limited cases like military service, disability, illness, or travel. This comes as the House-passed SAVE America Act, which includes photo ID mandates and citizenship proof for registration, stalls in the Senate due to filibuster threats and Democratic opposition.
Sources: NewsMax, The Washington Examiner
🚨 Election Integrity Group Claims Post-Certification Vote Tampering in Colorado Elections
A group called Unite4Freedom, focused on challenging voter rolls and election records, alleges significant irregularities in Colorado’s federal elections for 2020, 2022, and 2024. Their report, highlighted on conservative outlets, claims that individual voter history records were illegally altered after official certification of results, amounting to vote tampering prohibited under federal law. The organization points to discrepancies in official state data as evidence of misconduct that undermines election integrity, though mainstream reviews and election officials consistently describe such claims as unsubstantiated or based on misinterpretations of routine record maintenance. No widespread fraud has been confirmed by state authorities or independent audits, and similar assertions from the group (formerly United Sovereign Americans) have faced criticism for relying on flawed methodologies in lawsuits and public statements.
Sources: JoeHoft.com, KimMonson.com
⚖️ Virginia Supreme Court Clears Path for Redistricting Referendum
The Virginia Supreme Court issued an order on February 13, 2026, allowing a statewide referendum to proceed on April 21, 2026, regarding a constitutional amendment that would enable mid-decade redrawing of the state’s congressional districts. This reverses a lower court block on procedural grounds and lets voters decide whether to permit the Democratic-led legislature to implement a proposed map favoring their party in up to 10 of Virginia’s 11 U.S. House seats. The court will still hear the underlying appeal on an expedited basis, with arguments potentially scheduled after the vote, meaning the referendum could occur even if the plan faces later rejection.
Sources: The Washington Examiner, FOX News
📊 CNN Data Guru Admits Far Left’s Growing Grip on Democrats Amid Record Voter Backlash
CNN’s Harry Enten highlighted a stark shift in the Democratic Party, where the far left has become far more influential than in past decades, with self-identified “very liberal” Democrats jumping from 5% in 1999 to 21% today and a third of Democrats overall calling themselves democratic socialists—including 42% of those under 35—while conservative Democrats have shrunk to just 8%; yet this leftward march has backfired with the broader electorate, as an all-time high of 58% of voters now view the party as too liberal, up from 42% in 1996 and 48% in 2013, raising questions about potential electoral fallout.
Sources: RealClearPolitics, The Gateway Pundit
📉 Inflation Cools to 2.4% in January, Easing Some Pressure on Wall Street
U.S. consumer prices rose 2.4% year-over-year in January 2026, down from 2.7% in December and below economists’ expectations of 2.5%, marking the lowest level since May 2025. Core inflation, excluding volatile food and energy, slowed to 2.5%, its smallest annual gain in nearly five years. This softer-than-expected reading followed a stronger jobs report and helped calm markets rattled by AI disruption fears, with Treasury yields dipping and stocks steadying or modestly rising on February 13 despite ongoing tech sector volatility and a rough week overall for major indexes.
Sources: The South Florida Sun-Sentinel, FOX Business
⚖️ ICE Agents Placed on Leave After Apparent False Sworn Statements in Minneapolis Migrant Incident
Two ICE officers have been sidelined on administrative leave after a joint ICE-DOJ review of video evidence showed their sworn testimony about a January shooting incident in Minneapolis contained apparent untruthful statements. The episode involved an encounter during an immigration enforcement operation where charges against two Venezuelan men for allegedly assaulting or interfering with officers were dropped by prosecutors due to materially inconsistent new evidence, leading to dismissal with prejudice by a federal judge. Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons emphasized that lying under oath is a serious federal crime, with the U.S. Attorney’s Office now actively investigating the officers’ statements; upon conclusion, they could face termination and potential criminal prosecution, as ICE insists on holding personnel to strict standards of integrity amid ongoing enforcement efforts.
Sources: The Epoch Times, The Hill
🚨 Texas Jury Orders $3.2 Million Award in Alleged Hate Crime Hoax Case
A Texas civil jury recently determined that a Black mother and her attorney fabricated serious racial torture allegations against a white former classmate of the woman’s son, leading to a judge ordering the pair to pay $3.2 million in damages for intentional infliction of emotional distress; the claims, which sparked widespread media coverage, protests by groups like BLM and the NAACP, death threats, and a GoFundMe that raised around $120,000 (mostly spent on personal luxuries rather than the supposed victim’s needs), fell apart after police found no evidence of a hate crime, a grand jury declined to indict, and the diverse jury—including Black members—sided with the accused, now a college student, highlighting yet another case where initial outrage outpaced facts and follow-up coverage has been notably absent.
Sources: ZeroHedge, JohnTurley.org
⚧️ Transgender Teen Carries Out Deadly Shooting in Remote Canadian Town
An 18-year-old transgender individual named Jesse Van Rootselaar, who was born male but identified as female and had begun transitioning around age 12, killed his mother and 11-year-old brother at their home in Tumbler Ridge, British Columbia, before heading to his former school, Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, where he opened fire, killing five students and one teacher for a total of eight fatalities including the family members. He then took his own life as police arrived. The shooter had a documented history of mental health issues, multiple police visits to the home, including Mental Health Act apprehensions, an expired firearms license, prior temporary seizure and return of guns from the residence, and online posts showing interest in firearms, drug use, and struggles with physical appearance and transition. Authorities have stated no motive has been determined, with no evidence linking the attack to bullying over gender identity or suggesting any broader pattern.
Sources: The UK Telegraph, BBC News
⚠️ UK Doubles Troop Commitment in Norway Amid Arctic Security Worries
The United Kingdom plans to double the number of its military personnel deployed to Norway, from 1,000 to 2,000, over the next three years. Defence Secretary John Healey announced this during a visit to Royal Marine Commandos at Camp Viking in northern Norway. The move aims to strengthen defenses in the Arctic and High North region. Officials cite increasing Russian military activity as the main driver, with Russia described as posing the greatest threat to Arctic security since the Cold War. The increase will support joint exercises with NATO allies and enhance deterrence capabilities in the harsh northern environment.
Sources: BBC News, The Epoch Times
⚓ USS Gerald R. Ford Deployed to Middle East Amid Stalled Iran Nuclear Discussions
The U.S. Navy has redirected the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group from the Caribbean to the Middle East, where it will join the USS Abraham Lincoln already in the region. This move doubles American carrier presence and adds substantial firepower with accompanying destroyers, aircraft, and support vessels. President Trump confirmed the deployment on February 13, 2026, stating it is prepared for contingencies if negotiations fail, following indirect talks in Oman last week that yielded no progress. Iran has stalled on commitments to curb its nuclear and ballistic missile programs, with officials issuing threats against U.S. bases, while the administration applies military pressure to push for a deal that eliminates Iran’s nuclear ambitions.
Sources: Legal Insurrection, Reuters
📢 Argentina Unions Clash with Police Over Milei’s Labor Deregulation Push
Thousands of union workers and activists protested outside Argentina’s Congress in Buenos Aires as senators debated President Javier Milei’s labor reform bill, which aims to ease hiring and firing rules, limit strike rights, and reduce certain worker protections to boost investment and flexibility in a rigid market. Demonstrators threw stones, bottles, and some incendiary devices at police lines, prompting security forces to respond with tear gas, rubber bullets, and water cannons; clashes resulted in injuries to at least one officer and one protester, multiple arrests, and brief disruptions before order was restored. The Senate ultimately approved the contentious overhaul in an early Thursday vote despite the unrest, advancing Milei’s free-market agenda against strong union opposition that views the changes as weakening labor safeguards.
Sources: France24, The Buenos Aires Times
💥 U.S. Forces Pound Over 30 ISIS Targets in Syria with Fresh Strikes
U.S. Central Command forces carried out 10 precision strikes against more than 30 Islamic State infrastructure and weapons storage sites across Syria between February 3 and February 12. These actions form part of the ongoing Operation Hawkeye Strike, which maintains steady pressure on ISIS remnants to prevent any resurgence following a deadly December ambush near Palmyra that claimed American lives. The strikes employed fixed-wing, rotary-wing, and unmanned aircraft to deliver munitions, targeting key terrorist assets without reported civilian harm in this latest round.
Sources: The Tampa Free Press, CENTCOM
🗳️ Bangladesh Nationalist Party Secures Landslide Victory in Landmark Election
The Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), led by Tarique Rahman, has won a commanding majority in the country’s first parliamentary election since the 2024 student-led uprising that ousted longtime Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. Held on February 12, 2026, the vote saw the centre-right BNP and its allies capture around 212 seats out of 299 contested in the Jatiya Sangsad, well over the two-thirds threshold, while the Islamist Jamaat-e-Islami alliance trailed with roughly 77 seats. Voter turnout reached about 59%, and the election was widely seen as competitive and peaceful after years of turmoil, with the banned Awami League absent from the contest. Rahman, returning from long exile, is positioned to become prime minister and form a government soon, though challenges remain in stabilizing the economy and navigating any promised constitutional reforms.
Sources: The UK Telegraph, BBC News