The United States military has prepared for potential weeks-long strikes against Iran if President Donald Trump issues the order, according to two unnamed US officials cited by Reuters. The officials said the plan would allow sustained attacks over several weeks, though they declined to be identified due to the sensitivity of the matter. The preparations come amid heightened tensions in the Middle East following recent US troop deployments.

The report noted that the Pentagon is sending another aircraft carrier to the region, equipped with warplanes, military equipment, and thousands of troops. Last week, US and Iranian diplomats met in Oman to revive diplomacy over Tehran’s nuclear program. During a visit to a North Carolina base, Trump remarked that reaching a deal with Iran had become difficult and suggested that creating fear was sometimes necessary to manage the situation. White House spokesperson Anna Kelly said all options remain open for the president regarding Iran.

Analysts suggest that if the strikes begin, the conflict between the two nations could escalate significantly across the Middle East.

An Indian national, Nikhil Gupta, has pleaded guilty in the Southern District Federal Court of New York to attempting to assassinate US citizen and Sikh separatist leader Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. The 54-year-old admitted before Judge Sarah Netburn that he hired a hitman in 2023 to kill Pannun, who resides in New York. Gupta told the court he paid $15,000 to someone he believed was a contract killer, who was actually linked to the US Drug Enforcement Administration. Pannun leads the US-based group Sikhs for Justice, which campaigns for an independent Khalistan state in India’s Punjab region.

According to the US Attorney’s Office, Gupta was arrested in June 2023 at Prague Airport in the Czech Republic and extradited to the United States. He has been convicted of conspiring to murder Pannun, with sentencing scheduled for May 29. Under US law, he faces 20 to 24 years in prison. FBI officials said Pannun was targeted for exercising his freedom of expression. The FBI also alleged Gupta worked with Indian intelligence officer Vikas Yadav, who remains at large.

The case has strained relations between Washington, Ottawa, and New Delhi, as the US and Canada accuse India of targeting their citizens of Indian origin. Indian officials deny the allegations, calling such actions contrary to national policy.

US Congress member Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez stated that Israel was able to carry out genocide in Gaza because of American military assistance. She made the remarks on Friday during the Munich Security Conference, calling the idea of unconditional support meaningless. Ocasio-Cortez said she believed thousands of women and children had been killed in Gaza, deaths she described as entirely avoidable.

Responding to a question from a journalist of the Israeli newspaper Haaretz, Ocasio-Cortez said the Democratic nominee in the next US election should reconsider providing military aid to Israel. She emphasized that the issue was not only about the presidential race but also about the United States’ obligation to follow its own laws.

She added that under US law, when serious human rights violations are observed, assistance should be conditional. The remarks were reported by The Guardian and highlighted growing debate over the legality and morality of US support for Israel.

The United States military is preparing for a potential long-term operation against Iran, according to two US officials who spoke to Reuters on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the planning. The operation would begin if President Donald Trump orders an attack on Iran. The Pentagon has already deployed the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford to the Middle East under Trump’s directive, joining the USS Abraham Lincoln and its accompanying guided missile destroyer in the Arabian Sea.

The report states that US forces could target not only Iran’s nuclear infrastructure but also its state and security installations. However, officials declined to provide specific details. The preparations come as US and Iranian diplomats held talks in Oman last week regarding Tehran’s nuclear program. Trump has repeatedly warned of possible military action if no agreement is reached, cautioning that the alternative to diplomacy would be “very tragic.”

Iran has vowed to retaliate if attacked, raising fears of a wider regional conflict. Analysts warn that Iran’s large missile arsenal could pose significant risks to US forces and bases across the Middle East.

U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to issue a new voting law through executive order if Congress fails to pass legislation mandating photo identification for voters. He indicated that such an order could be enacted before the upcoming midterm elections in November. Trump made the remarks on Friday and reiterated on his social media platform Truth Social that voter ID would be required regardless of congressional approval.

The report notes that many U.S. states already require photo ID to vote, but not all. Trump and his supporters claim that the absence of such requirements has led to widespread voter fraud, though no evidence supports this claim. His proposed “Save America” election reform bill has passed the Republican-controlled House of Representatives but faces slim chances in the Senate, where Republicans lack a strong majority. The bill also seeks to require proof of citizenship during voter registration.

Critics argue that these measures could disenfranchise millions of voters who lack passports or birth certificates. Legal experts suggest any executive order on national voter ID could face court challenges, as U.S. states hold broad constitutional authority over election administration.

U.S. President Donald Trump has announced plans to visit Venezuela, revealing the decision while speaking to reporters on Friday en route from the White House to Fort Bragg in North Carolina. The announcement comes more than a month after Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and First Lady Cilia Flores were taken away. Trump said he intends to meet with Venezuela’s interim president Delcy Rodríguez, with whom he claims to have a very good relationship.

Trump stated that under Rodríguez’s leadership, the United States is working closely with Venezuela in oil extraction and marketing. He described current U.S.-Venezuela relations as “ten out of ten.” When asked whether Washington recognizes Rodríguez’s government, Trump confirmed that the United States has already done so and maintains regular communication with her administration.

The planned visit signals a continuation of U.S. engagement with Venezuela’s interim leadership following recent political changes in the country.

An Indian national has pleaded guilty in a U.S. court to conspiring to kill a Khalistan movement leader who is an Indian-origin American citizen. The U.S. Department of Justice said that 54-year-old Nikhil Gupta admitted before a federal magistrate judge in Manhattan to charges of murder-for-hire conspiracy, hiring a hitman, and money laundering. His sentencing is scheduled for May 29 this year, and he faces up to 40 years in prison.

According to U.S. prosecutors, Gupta acted under instructions from an Indian government employee to target a U.S.-based Indian-origin individual, widely believed to be Gurpatwant Singh Pannun, a prominent Khalistan activist. Court documents identify the official as Vikas Yadav, an employee of India’s Cabinet Secretariat, under which the foreign intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) operates. Gupta allegedly sought to hire a hitman, negotiated a payment of $100,000, and provided detailed information about the target’s residence and movements.

Gupta was arrested in the Czech Republic in June 2023 and extradited to the United States in 2024. The Indian government has not yet commented on his guilty plea.

US President Donald Trump said that changing Iran’s governing system would be the “best solution.” Speaking at the White House on Friday, he remarked that for 47 years Iran had only made promises while many lives were lost. Trump did not specify who the United States would like to see in power if such a change occurred, but said there were people in Iran capable of taking leadership. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has not yet responded to Trump’s comments.

Trump also indicated that the United States remains firm in its plan to strengthen military presence in the Middle East, despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to ease tensions with Iran. He announced that the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest and most advanced aircraft carrier, would soon move from the Caribbean to the Middle East.

Additionally, Trump shared a Wall Street Journal report on his social media platform Truth Social about the Pentagon preparing a second aircraft carrier for Middle East deployment, though he made no personal comment on it.

The United States military has carried out another strike on a boat in the Caribbean Sea, killing three people. According to the US Southern Command (Southcom), which oversees military operations in Latin America and the Caribbean, the attack took place early Friday. The operation is part of a series of US military actions in the region since September 2025, which have reportedly left at least 133 people dead, according to Al Jazeera.

Washington has maintained that its forces are targeting individuals suspected of drug trafficking, describing those killed as 'narco-terrorists.' However, international law and human rights experts have repeatedly criticized such operations, calling them extrajudicial killings. Earlier in the same week, the US also conducted a strike in the eastern Pacific Ocean, in which two people were reported killed, Southcom said.

The continued US military actions in the Caribbean and Pacific regions have drawn scrutiny over their legality and humanitarian impact, as questions persist about accountability and adherence to international law.

U.S. President Donald Trump has revoked a key scientific ruling from former President Barack Obama that declared greenhouse gases dangerous to public health. The announcement was made Thursday at the Oval Office, according to a BBC report. The reversal nullifies federal measures introduced under the Obama administration to curb emissions of gases linked to global warming.

During his Oval Office address, Trump described the 2009 ruling as a disastrous Obama-era policy that harmed the American auto industry and made cars unaffordable for consumers. The White House called the move the largest deregulation in U.S. history, claiming it would reduce vehicle prices by about $2,400 for manufacturers.

Former President Obama criticized the decision, warning it would increase health risks for Americans and weaken the nation’s ability to combat climate change. Environmental groups also condemned the move, calling it one of the most damaging setbacks for climate action and vowing to challenge it in court.

U.S. President Donald Trump is considering a multibillion-dollar plan for Gaza’s reconstruction and intends to present detailed proposals for deploying a stabilization force under a United Nations mandate. According to a Reuters report, Trump will outline these initiatives at the Board of Peace meeting in Washington on February 19, which will include leaders and representatives from 20 countries. The peace council, launched by Trump in Davos last month, includes members such as Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, and Indonesia.

Indonesia has already announced plans to send 8,000 troops to Gaza, pending an agreement. Trump is also seeking reconstruction funds from wealthy Gulf nations including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the UAE. His son-in-law Jared Kushner, though not holding an official position, has been involved in discussions with Israel and Arab states regarding the plan. However, both Saudi Arabia and Qatar have expressed reluctance to provide financial support.

The upcoming peace council meeting is viewed as a test case for whether the proposed peacekeeping force and financial commitments will materialize. Some Arab and Muslim countries oppose the UN peacekeeping mandate, fearing it could shield Israeli military actions in Gaza.

The United States is expanding its military presence in the Middle East as tensions with Iran escalate. Under President Donald Trump’s directive, the USS Gerald R. Ford, the world’s largest aircraft carrier, is being deployed to the region alongside the already stationed USS Abraham Lincoln and its guided missile destroyers in the Arabian Sea. The deployment, first reported by The New York Times, comes as the Red Sea and surrounding areas experience heightened instability.

Gulf Arab states have warned that new attacks could trigger a wider conflict, especially as the region still reels from the recent Israel-Hamas fighting in Gaza. President Trump recently cautioned Iran that failure to reach a new nuclear deal would have “very painful” consequences. Following indirect talks in Oman, he said a deal is sought within a month and discussed Iran’s missile program and its support for Hamas and Hezbollah with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Iran faces both domestic and international crises, including deadly protests last month and ongoing sanctions. The USS Ford’s crew, at sea since June 2025, may see their deployment extended, though the White House has not commented.

Two people were killed and another injured in a shooting at a residential building of South Carolina State University on Thursday night. Following the incident, the university administration placed the entire campus under lockdown. According to a statement posted on the university’s Facebook page, the shooting occurred around 9:15 p.m. local time inside an apartment at the Hugine Suites dormitory complex. Authorities have not yet confirmed the motive or whether any suspect remains at large.

Officials said the identities of the deceased and the condition of the injured person have not been officially released. The university, historically established for African American students, has more than 3,000 enrolled learners and is located in Orangeburg, about 40 miles southeast of Columbia, the state capital. Another historically Black higher education institution, Claflin University, is also located in Orangeburg.

The university administration stated that the South Carolina Law Enforcement Division has been assigned to assist in the investigation, and all Friday classes have been canceled.

U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday, February 13, that Washington must reach an agreement with Iran over its nuclear program by March. Speaking to reporters at the White House, he warned that failure to do so could lead to 'terrible' consequences. Trump expressed hope that a deal could be achieved within the next month, emphasizing that both sides must act positively to move forward.

He further cautioned that if Iran does not advance in the negotiations, an operation called 'Midnight Hammer' could resume, this time with greater intensity. His remarks have sparked renewed concern internationally about the state of U.S.–Iran relations.

Analysts cited in the report suggested that Trump’s tough message is part of a strategy to increase pressure on Iran to limit its nuclear activities, a move that could further complicate the security situation in the Middle East.

Inter Miami has become the most valuable football club in the United States, with an estimated valuation of $1.45 billion ahead of the 2026 season. The Florida-based team, led by Argentine captain Lionel Messi, has seen its brand value and revenue surge following his arrival. According to a survey by sports business outlet Sportico, Inter Miami has overtaken Los Angeles FC, which now ranks second with a $1.4 billion valuation.

The club’s market value has grown by about 22 percent in just one year, marking a significant rise for Messi and teammate Luis Suárez’s side. In contrast, Los Angeles FC recorded only a 9 percent increase, allowing Miami to surpass it in overall worth. The top five most valuable MLS clubs now include Inter Miami, Los Angeles FC, LA Galaxy ($1.17 billion), Atlanta United ($1.14 billion), and New York City FC ($1.12 billion).

The report highlights how Messi’s influence has extended beyond the pitch, transforming Inter Miami’s financial and competitive standing within Major League Soccer.