U.S. President Donald Trump is reportedly considering a limited military strike against Iran as part of a strategy to pressure Tehran into agreeing to a new nuclear deal, according to a report published Thursday. The Wall Street Journal, citing sources familiar with the matter, said that if approved, an initial operation could begin within days, targeting a limited number of Iranian military or government sites. The goal would be to increase pressure while avoiding a full-scale war.

The report added that Trump has warned of broader military action if Iran does not halt its uranium enrichment activities, and that destabilizing Tehran’s government could also be among the objectives. One source indicated that the president may pursue a phased escalation strategy—starting with limited strikes and expanding if necessary—to compel Iran to abandon its nuclear program or weaken its regime.

Several U.S. officials and analysts have cautioned that such action could provoke Iranian retaliation, potentially drawing the United States into a wider regional conflict and endangering allied nations.

At the first meeting of the Peace Board held in Washington, D.C., and chaired by U.S. President Donald Trump, nine member countries pledged a total of $7 billion for the reconstruction of the war-torn Gaza Strip. The session also saw five countries agree to deploy troops as part of an international stability force for Palestinian territories. According to the report, the United States will contribute $10 billion to the Peace Board, though Trump did not specify how the funds would be used.

Trump named Kazakhstan, Azerbaijan, the United Arab Emirates, Morocco, Bahrain, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Uzbekistan, and Kuwait as the nations contributing the initial down payment for Gaza’s rebuilding. He stated that every dollar would be spent to establish stability and that the Peace Board demonstrates how a better future can be built. The estimated total cost for Gaza’s reconstruction is around $70 billion, making the pledged amount only a fraction of what is needed.

Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, and Albania have pledged to send troops to the international force, while Egypt and Jordan have agreed to train police officers as part of Trump’s 20-point plan to end the war in Gaza.

New Mexico Attorney General Raul Torrez announced on Thursday that the state has reopened its investigation into possible illegal activity at Jeffrey Epstein’s former Zorro Ranch near Stanley. The decision follows the release of more than three and a half million government files by the U.S. Department of Justice on January 30, which included previously sealed FBI documents. Torrez’s office said the new revelations warranted further examination of the earlier state probe, which was halted in 2019 at the request of federal prosecutors in New York, the same year Epstein was arrested on sex trafficking charges.

The renewed investigation coincides with the arrest of Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, a former UK royal, on suspicion of misconduct in public office linked to allegations of sharing confidential documents with Epstein. The Epstein scandal has triggered political fallout in the UK but not in the U.S., where critics have accused the Justice Department of lacking transparency. In New Mexico, lawmakers have formed a truth commission to investigate Epstein’s ties to the state and why he was not registered as a sex offender there after his 2008 conviction.

Torrez’s office said it will cooperate with the commission and seek full access to unredacted federal case files to determine whether further legal action is warranted.

Emails released in newly published United States Department of Justice files reveal that Jeffrey Epstein, the late convicted sex offender, was offered the chance in 2016 to buy into a large building complex tied to the Department of Defense. The 84,710-square-metre site, located about one mile from the Pentagon in Arlington, Virginia, was described as a mission-critical property capable of meeting the Defense Department’s infrastructure needs. The proposed $116 million deal would have made Epstein a co-owner and landlord to the U.S. government, though there is no evidence the transaction occurred.

The documents also show Epstein’s extensive ties to Israel, including a decade-long relationship with former Prime Minister Ehud Barak and financial support for Israeli organizations such as Friends of the Israeli Army and the Jewish National Fund. An FBI informant memo described Epstein as a “Mossad agent.”

The Pentagon-linked offer was forwarded by businessman David Stern, who also proposed a separate 2015 investment in FBI field offices and courthouses. Both property proposals were originated by real estate investor Jonathan D Fascitelli.

The United States trade deficit widened sharply in December, reaching a five-month high of $70.3 billion, according to the Commerce Department. The goods trade shortfall for 2025 hit a record $1.24 trillion, despite tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on foreign-manufactured products. Imports rose 3.6 percent in December to $357.6 billion, driven by higher purchases of industrial supplies, copper, crude oil, and capital goods such as computer accessories and telecommunications equipment. Exports fell 1.7 percent to $287.3 billion, though semiconductor and pharmaceutical shipments increased.

The report showed that trade made little or no contribution to fourth-quarter GDP growth. American companies boosted imports of computer chips and other technology goods from Taiwan to support large-scale investments in artificial intelligence. While the goods trade deficit with China dropped nearly 32 percent to $202 billion amid ongoing tensions, trade shifted toward Taiwan and Vietnam, where deficits rose sharply. Factory employment declined by 83,000 jobs between January 2025 and January 2026, underscoring limited benefits from tariffs.

Economists noted that strong imports may reflect robust business investment, particularly in AI-related infrastructure such as data centers, suggesting continued demand for technology equipment.

The United Nations announced that the United States has paid about $160 million toward its nearly $4 billion in outstanding dues. UN spokesman Stephane Dujarric said the payment will go to the organisation’s regular operating budget. The move comes as President Donald Trump’s administration has questioned its commitment to the UN and cut funding for international programmes. However, during the inaugural meeting of his Board of Peace in Washington, DC, Trump said he intended to help ensure the UN remains viable.

According to the UN, the US owes about $2.196 billion to its regular budget, including $767 million for the current year, and another $1.8 billion for peacekeeping operations. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres recently warned that the UN faces an “imminent financial collapse” unless member states pay their dues, noting that the regular budget could be depleted as early as July. The US, as the largest donor, accounts for roughly 95 percent of the arrears.

Trump’s creation of the Board of Peace, officially tasked with overseeing the Gaza ceasefire, has drawn criticism from those who see it as a rival to the UN Security Council. Critics argue it could undermine the UN’s authority and global operations.

US President Donald Trump has warned that Iran has about 10 to 15 days to reach an agreement with Washington or risk further military strikes. Speaking at the inaugural Board of Peace meeting in Washington, DC, Trump linked last year’s joint Israeli-US strikes on Iran to the Gaza ceasefire and said those attacks paved the way for regional peace. He added that his aides Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner had held productive meetings with Iranian representatives, emphasizing the need for a “meaningful deal.”

The warning follows a second round of indirect US-Iran talks in Geneva, where Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said both sides made good progress and reached broad agreement on guiding principles. Despite this, the US continues to build up military assets in the Gulf, while Iran insists its missile program is non-negotiable and denies seeking nuclear weapons. Washington opposes any uranium enrichment by Tehran.

Tensions have remained high since late 2025, when Trump vowed to strike Iran again if it rebuilt its nuclear or missile programs. Although negotiations resumed in Oman in February, both sides continue to exchange threats amid fragile diplomacy.

U.S. President Donald Trump has warned Iran to reach an agreement with the United States within 10 to 15 days or face a potential military strike. Speaking at the inauguration of a peace board in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, Trump said that last June’s joint U.S.-Israeli attack on Iran had paved the way for a ceasefire in Gaza. He claimed that without U.S. action against Iran’s nuclear facilities, peace in the Middle East would have been difficult to achieve.

In response, Iran issued a counter-threat through its permanent representative to the United Nations, who wrote to Secretary-General António Guterres stating that any attack on Iran would trigger retaliatory strikes on all U.S. bases and infrastructure in the Middle East. The envoy emphasized that Iran does not seek war but would respond if attacked, holding the United States responsible for any consequences.

According to a Wall Street Journal report cited on Friday, the United States is considering an initial limited strike targeting Iranian government buildings and security infrastructure to pressure Tehran into a nuclear deal. If Iran refuses, a broader campaign could aim to topple Ayatollah Ali Khamenei’s government.

At least eight skiers were killed in a massive avalanche in California’s Lake Tahoe backcountry, authorities confirmed on Wednesday. The avalanche struck the Castle Peak area, northwest of Lake Tahoe, around 11:30 a.m. local time on Tuesday. Six people were rescued alive, while one person remains missing and is presumed dead. The avalanche was described by witnesses as roughly the size of a football field.

Following a 911 call received at 11:30 a.m., the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office launched a search and rescue operation. The sheriff’s department, its search and rescue team, and the California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection jointly conducted the operation in the affected area. Officials said the search continued in the Castle Peak zone immediately after the avalanche.

Authorities have not yet released the identities of the victims or the cause of the avalanche. Search efforts are ongoing for the missing skier.

Jesse Louis Jackson, a prominent leader of the United States civil rights movement, has died at the age of 84. He passed away on Tuesday in the presence of his family, according to a family statement. Jackson had been hospitalized for several months due to a neurological illness. He was a close disciple of Martin Luther King Jr. and played a major role in advancing civil rights and social justice causes across the country.

More than 40 years ago, Jackson urged the Democratic Party to broaden its moral outlook to include minorities, Arab Americans, and Palestinians who had long faced marginalization. Throughout his career, he consistently spoke for the oppressed, notably highlighting the plight of Palestinians and advocating for the resettlement of Syrian refugees in the United States. In 2024, his organization, the Rainbow-PUSH Coalition, convened an emergency summit calling for an end to Israel’s assault on Gaza and a ceasefire.

Maya Berry, executive director of the Arab American Institute, said Jackson paved the way for Arab American political empowerment and remained steadfast in supporting Palestinians despite pressure to sever ties with Arab Americans.

The United States has decided to withdraw all its remaining troops from Syria within the next two months, according to two U.S. officials who spoke to CBS News. Around 1,000 American soldiers currently stationed across several bases in Syria will be brought home, marking the end of nearly a decade of U.S. military presence in the country. Earlier this year, U.S. forces had already withdrawn from the Al Tanf garrison in southern Syria and the Al Shaddadi base in the northeast.

The U.S. established multiple military bases in Syria about a decade ago during the rise of ISIS, deploying around 2,000 troops in 2014 to support efforts against the militant group. A senior Pentagon official told The Wall Street Journal that while ISIS remains a global threat, its strength in Syria has diminished and the country now has a more stable government. He added that some troops have already been withdrawn and certain bases handed over to the Syrian government.

The official emphasized that U.S. forces remain ready to respond to any future ISIS threats in the Middle East.

US President Donald Trump has held a meeting with national security officials to discuss preparations for a possible military strike on Iran. The meeting took place on Wednesday, February 18, and focused on readiness to carry out an attack by Saturday, February 21. According to a CBS report citing an unnamed official, security officials indicated they could be ready to act before the end of the week, though the president has not yet made a final decision.

The official described the discussions as fluid and ongoing, noting that the White House is analyzing potential Iranian responses and the broader impact on the Middle East. Multiple sources said some US troops are being temporarily relocated from the Middle East to Europe or the United States to ensure their safety if a strike is ordered.

Another source cautioned that troop movements do not necessarily indicate an imminent attack, explaining that the US often repositions forces to secure personnel before any potential military action.

The United States Navy carried out coordinated operations against three suspected drug-trafficking vessels in the eastern Pacific Ocean and the Caribbean Sea on Monday night, resulting in the deaths of 11 men. According to a BBC report, eight people were killed on two vessels in the eastern Pacific and three on one vessel in the Caribbean. The U.S. Southern Command confirmed on Tuesday that the operations were based on intelligence information and that no American personnel were killed or injured.

The report noted that in August 2025, Donald Trump had alleged a sharp rise in drug flows into the United States through the eastern Pacific and Caribbean routes. Following those claims, the U.S. Southern Command began naval operations in both regions in September of that year. Since then, the U.S. Navy has conducted more than 40 similar missions in the two maritime zones.

The latest operations underscore Washington’s continued focus on maritime drug interdiction efforts across key trafficking routes in the Pacific and Caribbean regions.

Public support for U.S. President Donald Trump’s immigration policy has fallen to its lowest level since he began his second term in the White House, according to a new Reuters/Ipsos poll released after a four-day survey ending Monday. Only 38 percent of respondents said Trump is doing a good job on immigration, down from 39 percent in January. Earlier in his second term, his approval on this issue had reached around 50 percent.

The report notes that Trump’s popularity among male voters has declined sharply in recent weeks compared with late last year. During the 2024 election, male voters played a major role in his victory, and throughout 2025, about half of them supported his immigration stance. The latest poll shows that only 41 percent of men now back his policy, while support among women has dropped from about 40 percent last year to 35 percent.

Trump had pledged during his 2024 campaign to launch one of the largest deportation drives in decades and ordered extensive anti-immigration operations after returning to power in January 2025.

US Vice President JD Vance stated that Iran has not yet fully complied with the 'red lines' set by President Donald Trump. Speaking after a meeting in Geneva on Tuesday, Vance said discussions with Iran were positive in some areas, and both sides agreed to hold another round of talks. However, he noted that several key issues remain unresolved.

In an interview with Fox News, Vance explained that while progress was made, Iran has not accepted or acted upon the conditions defined by the president. Earlier, Trump had warned that the US might consider the use of force if Iran failed to reach agreements on critical matters, including its nuclear program. Despite this, Vance emphasized that Washington continues to prioritize diplomatic solutions.

Vance added that diplomatic efforts will persist, but the authority to end those efforts rests solely with the president. He expressed hope that the situation would not escalate further, though he affirmed that the final decision would be made by President Trump if necessary.