đĽ U.S. Forces Down Iranian Drone Near USS Abraham Lincoln in Arabian Sea
The U.S. military shot down an Iranian Shahed-139 drone on February 3, 2026, after it aggressively approached the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in international waters of the Arabian Sea, about 500 miles from Iranâs southern coast. The drone maneuvered toward the ship with unclear intent and ignored de-escalatory measures from U.S. forces. An F-35C fighter jet launched from the carrier destroyed the drone in self-defense to protect the vessel and crew. No U.S. personnel were injured, and no equipment sustained damage. Hours later, in a separate incident in the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian Revolutionary Guard forces harassed a U.S.-flagged merchant vessel with boats and a drone, though that situation resolved without escalation.
đď¸ House Republicans Urge Senate Action on SAVE Act to Secure Elections Before 2026 Midterms
House Republicans, growing impatient after nearly 300 days of Senate inaction, sent a letter pressing Senate Rules Committee Chairman Mitch McConnell to schedule a markup and floor vote on the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act, which requires documentary proof of U.S. citizenship for federal voter registration, mandates processes to remove noncitizens from voter rolls, and imposes penalties on non-compliant election officials. The bill, which passed the House in April 2025 by a narrow margin, enjoys broad GOP support in the Senate but faces hurdles like the filibuster threshold; Republicans argue swift passage is essential to safeguard election integrity and prevent foreign influence or fraud risks ahead of the upcoming midterms, with quotes from signers emphasizing that the House has done its part and the Senate must now follow through on this commonsense measure.
Sources: The Daily Wire, The Washington Examiner
đď¸ Trump Administration Launches $12 Billion Critical Minerals Stockpile
The Trump administration has rolled out Project Vault, a $12 billion public-private initiative to create a strategic reserve of critical minerals and rare earths like gallium and cobalt, aimed at shielding U.S. manufacturers from supply disruptions and price swings largely controlled by China. Modeled after the Strategic Petroleum Reserve but focused on civilian industrial needs for items such as EV batteries, smartphones, jet engines, and AI tech, the plan combines about $1.67 billion in private capital from participating companies with a $10 billion loan from the U.S. Export-Import Bank over 15 years. Major firms including General Motors, Stellantis, Boeing, GE Vernova, and Google are expected to join by committing to buy and store materials at set prices, cover carrying costs, and replenish stocks, while gaining access during emergencies to buffer against Beijingâs dominance in global processing.
Sources: The Washington Examiner, CBS News
âď¸ House GOP Chairman Rejects Clintonsâ Last-Ditch Offer Ahead of Contempt Vote
House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer, a Kentucky Republican, has turned down what he described as an unreasonable proposal from attorneys for Bill and Hillary Clinton. This came just before an expected full House vote on holding the former president and former secretary of state in contempt of Congress. The Clintons had offered a four-hour transcribed interview for Bill Clinton in New York City, limited in scope, plus sworn declarations from Hillary Clinton instead of in-person testimony. In exchange, they sought withdrawal of the subpoenas and contempt resolutions tied to the committeeâs probe into their personal ties to Jeffrey Epstein and Ghislaine Maxwell. Comer dismissed the terms as inadequate for probing the full extent of those relationships and knowledge of Epsteinâs activities, pointing out delays of nearly six months since the subpoenas issued, missed depositions, and what he called a bid for special treatment that insults public demands for transparency. The standoff stems from the Clintonsâ earlier failure to appear for required depositions, despite bipartisan committee support for advancing contempt measures earlier this year.
Sources: The New York Post, The Daily Wire
đŚ Noem Mandates Body Cameras for Federal Officers in Minneapolis Amid Funding Clash
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem announced the immediate deployment of body-worn cameras to all federal law enforcement officers in Minneapolis. This step follows consultations with key figures including Tom Homan, Acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, and CBP Commissioner Rodney Scott. The move addresses transparency concerns tied to Operation Metro Surge, an immigration enforcement effort in the Minneapolis-Saint Paul area that has seen two fatal encounters involving federal officers and protesters. Noem stated on X that the program will expand nationwide as funding permits, framing it as part of the Trump administrationâs push for accountability. The announcement arrives during a partial government shutdown sparked Saturday, where Senate Democrats have conditioned DHS funding support on reforms such as mandatory body cameras and other measures, with ongoing congressional debates aimed at resolving the impasse.
đľđź Deep State Smear Campaign Targets DNI Tulsi Gabbard Over Fulton County Raid Involvement
Tulsi Gabbard, serving as Director of National Intelligence, appeared at the scene of an FBI raid on a Fulton County, Georgia, election facility last week as part of an investigation into alleged 2020 election irregularities. A Wall Street Journal report highlighted a highly classified whistleblower complaint alleging wrongdoing by Gabbard, which has been stalled within her own agency for months amid debates over how to share it with Congress; her office maintains the complaint was reviewed by the intelligence communityâs inspector general and found not credible, while the whistleblowerâs attorney accuses her of delaying its referral to lawmakers. Conservative outlets frame this as a coordinated âdeep stateâ pushback against Gabbardâs role in probing election vulnerabilities, especially given her participation in the raid alongside federal agents retrieving documents and devices under a court warrant.
Sources: The Gateway Pundit, The New York Post
đ° CNN and CBS Staffers Push Back Against Balance Restoration Efforts
Staffers at CNN and CBS have reacted with strong criticism to recent attempts by leadership to introduce more balanced or neutral reporting amid falling ratings and trust issues. At CNN, employees confronted management over the presence and language of conservative commentator Scott Jennings, labeling him a âMAGA mouthpieceâ and objecting to his use of terms like âillegal aliens,â even though such phrasing aligns with federal law. This came during an internal town hall where staff expressed frustration with allowing such voices on air. At CBS, new editor Bari Weiss, hired to help modernize the network and address audience decline, faced resistance after urging honest self-reflection on why viewership has shrunk and calling for changes to regain broad trust, with slow or negative responses from journalists who appear more committed to existing approaches than adaptation. These internal clashes highlight a broader reluctance among some staff to shift from perceived ideological preferences, even as networks grapple with financial pressures and the need to appeal to wider audiences.
Sources: ZeroHedge, Newsbusters
đ§ Anti-ICE Agitators Set Up Road Checkpoints in Minneapolis
In Minneapolis on February 1, 2026, anti-ICE protesters established multiple road blockades on the South Side, stopping vehiclesâparticularly those with out-of-state platesâto check license plates against a database and verify no connection to ICE operations. Demonstrators described the tactic as a growing form of âICE-outâ resistance to federal agentsâ quick âgrab-and-goâ arrests, with flyers urging expansion to 10, 100, or even 1,000 such blockades while framing it as community bonding. At least four checkpoints appeared within a one-mile radius, where protesters detained vehicles briefly, allowed emergency access after negotiation, and mocked police who approached but ultimately withdrew without dismantling the setups. Critics highlight the irony of activists opposing government checks yet imposing their own, labeling the actions as potential false imprisonment, interference with federal law enforcement, and impersonation of authority.
Sources: Legal Insurrection, FOX News
â ď¸ Massachusetts Teachers Unions File Lawsuit to Keep Tax Cut Measure Off November Ballot
Massachusetts teachers unions, through the Raise Up Massachusetts coalition backed by the Massachusetts Teachers Association and American Federation of Teachers, have sued in the stateâs Supreme Judicial Court to block a citizen-initiated referendum that would reduce the base income tax rate from 5 percent to 4 percent. The lawsuit claims the ballot summary, prepared by the Attorney Generalâs office, is constitutionally deficient because it fails to clearly inform voters and petition signers that the rate reduction would apply to long-term capital gains in addition to wages, salaries, interest, and dividends. This effort follows a prior union-supported referendum that added a 4 percent surtax on incomes over $1 million. Supporters of the tax cut argue it would return an average of $1,300 to working families amid an affordability crunch, while opponents warn of billions in lost revenue that could force cuts to public services including education. The case highlights ongoing tensions over tax policy in a state where unions have heavily invested in progressive causes.
Sources: The Washington Free Beacon, The Boston Globe
â§ď¸ Fourth Circuit Rejects Teacherâs Challenge to Maryland Gender Secrecy Policy
A federal appeals court has sided with Montgomery County, Maryland, public schools in rejecting a Christian substitute teacherâs lawsuit against the districtâs guidelines that require staff to use studentsâ preferred pronouns and keep gender identity matters confidential from parents unless the student consents. Kimberly Polk argued that complying violated her religious beliefs in binary sexes and her free speech rights by compelling her to affirm transgender identities, but the Fourth Circuitâs majority ruled these requirements are simply part of a teacherâs official job duties, thus not protected under the First Amendment when performed in the classroom role. The court dismissed her free exercise claim under Supreme Court precedent, while a sharp dissent from Judge J. Harvie Wilkinson called the policy a clear case of compelled speech that forces educators to push a specific viewpoint on gender without reasonable alternatives like using last names.
Sources: Legal Insurrection, The Washington Examiner
âď¸ New Zealand Engages in Confidential Talks with US on Critical Minerals Framework
New Zealandâs government is holding closed-door discussions with the United States on a non-binding critical minerals framework, prompted by President Trumpâs January 2026 proclamation threatening tariffs on trading partners that fail to secure agreements for reliable supplies of processed critical minerals and derivative products. The talks aim to reduce US dependence on China, which dominates global refining, and follow a similar arrangement signed with Australia in 2025; New Zealandâs Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade has confirmed the negotiations, with an announcement potentially imminent, while domestic pro-mining policies under Resources Minister Shane Jones align with efforts to exploit local resources like nickel, cobalt, and others. Opposition parties have criticized the secretive nature of the process, and concerns have arisen over potential impacts on MÄori Treaty obligations as highlighted in Waitangi Tribunal submissions.
Sources: The Epoch Times, The New Zealand Herald
âď¸ Trump Envoy Witkoff Set for Iran Nuclear Talks in Istanbul
U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff plans to meet Iranian Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi in Istanbul on Friday to explore a possible nuclear agreement framework, marking the first direct high-level engagement since last yearâs stalled talks and a brief June conflict. The discussions, mediated by regional powers including Turkey, Egypt, and Qatar, will involve representatives from several Arab and Muslim nations. Witkoffâs itinerary includes prior stops in Israel for meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and IDF leadership, followed by trilateral talks in Abu Dhabi involving Russia and Ukraine with Jared Kushner, and consultations in Qatar. The Trump administration demands concessions on Iranâs nuclear program, missile efforts, and proxy activities, while Tehran insists on limiting talks to nuclear matters only. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has directed renewed diplomacy, amid a U.S. military presence in the Gulf and warnings that failure could lead to confrontation, though both sides express cautious openness to a deal that avoids escalation.
âď¸ A Sanctioned Russian Cargo Jet Lands in Cuba, Raising Eyebrows in Washington
A U.S.-sanctioned Russian Ilyushin Il-76 cargo plane, operated by the state-linked Aviacon Zitotrans airline, landed Sunday night at Cubaâs San Antonio de los BaĂąos military airfield south of Havana. The aircraft followed a circuitous route with stops in Russia, Mauritania, and the Dominican Republic. This echoes similar flights by the same plane to Venezuela, Nicaragua, and Cuba in late October 2025, shortly before U.S. military action led to NicolĂĄs Maduroâs ouster. The Il-76 has a history of hauling military gear, including air defense systems to Caracas, and the airline faces sanctions from the U.S., Canada, and Ukraine for backing Russiaâs defense sector. Cargo contents for the Cuba flight remain unknown, but the timing stirs concerns given renewed Russian military ties to Havana, Trumpâs recent national emergency declaration on Cuba, and his push for a deal with the islandâs regime amid oil supply threats.
Sources: FOX News, Defense News
đ Colombiaâs Petro Heads to White House for Tense Trump Sit-Down
Colombian President Gustavo Petro arrived in Washington, D.C., for a scheduled February 3, 2026, meeting at the White House with President Donald Trump. The encounter follows months of sharp public barbs, U.S. sanctions on Petro and his family over unsubstantiated drug-trafficking claims, visa revocation, and threats of military action tied to surging cocaine flows from Colombia. A recent phone call between the two thawed relations somewhat, with both sides expressing willingness to talk. Petro aims to assure Trump that BogotĂĄ is addressing drug production and trafficking despite record highs, while pushing back on perceived U.S. overreach into regional affairs like Venezuela. The talks carry weight for bilateral cooperation on security, trade, migration, and narcotics enforcement, with analysts viewing the outcome as potentially pivotal for U.S.-Latin America dynamics under Trumpâs assertive stance.
đ Rafah Border Crossing Reopens for Limited Palestinian Travel Under Ceasefire Terms
The Rafah border crossing between Gaza and Egypt reopened on February 2, 2026, for limited pedestrian traffic in both directions as a key implementation step in the U.S.-brokered Israel-Hamas ceasefire that took effect in October. Initially, authorities expected around 50 Palestinians to cross each way on the first day, though early hours showed little to no movement, and the operation remains tightly controlled with Israeli and Egyptian vetting plus European Union supervision; no goods are permitted through yet, focusing instead on people including those needing urgent medical care abroad, where some 20,000 Palestinians including many children await evacuation amid reports of over 520 post-ceasefire deaths from Israeli fire according to Gazaâs health ministry. This move follows Israelâs seizure of the crossing in May 2024 to curb arms smuggling, and it advances the truce toward its second phase involving governance changes and disarmament efforts, even as sporadic violence persists in Gaza and the reopening is viewed as more symbolic than transformative given the strict limits and security measures.
Sources: Reuters, The Wall Street Journal