6 House Republicans defy Trump on key agenda item in Dem-pushed vote
The House of Representatives passed legislation Wednesday aimed at reversing President Donald Trump’s tariffs on Canada after several Republicans joined Democrats for a rare rebuke of the GOP commander in chief. Democrats successfully got a vote on a measure to reverse Trump’s national emergency at the northern border using a mechanism for forcing votes over the objections of House majority leadership called a privileged resolution. The six Republicans who voted in favor of the measure are Reps. Dan Newhouse, R-Wash., Kevin Kiley, R-Calif., Don Bacon, R-Neb., Jeff Hurd, R-Colo., and Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa. One Democrat, Rep. Jared Golden, D-Maine, voted with the majority of Republicans on the matter. It passed 219-211. TRUMP’S TARIFFS COULD BE UNDONE BY ONE CONSERVATIVE DOCTRINE: ‘LIFE OR DEATH’ As the vote was on the verge of succeeding, Trump issued a warning to Republicans who defied him. “Any Republican, in the House or the Senate, that votes against TARIFFS will seriously suffer the consequences come Election time, and that includes Primaries!” Trump posted on Truth Social. Kiley told Fox News Digital when asked for a response to Trump, “This was a resolution regarding the emergency declared by the president over fentanyl from Canada. Congress has an obligation under the National Emergencies Act to evaluate every six months if the emergency still exists. Canada has now significantly cracked down on fentanyl, so there’s no basis to extend the emergency another six months.” Meanwhile Hurd told Fox News Digital that his constituents were “directly affected by these policies.” “Today’s vote is grounded first and foremost in the Constitution. Article I gives Congress the authority to regulate commerce with foreign nations and to levy tariffs. Over time, Congress has delegated limited authority to the Executive Branch, particularly in matters involving national emergencies. But those delegations were never intended to serve as a permanent vehicle for sweeping, long-term trade policy,” he also said. “If we normalize broad emergency trade powers today, we should expect that a future president—of either party—will rely on the same authority in ways many of us would strongly oppose. Institutional consistency matters. The Constitution does not shift depending on who occupies the White House. My responsibility is to defend the separation of powers regardless of political convenience.” Trump signed an executive order in February 2025, enacting an additional 25% tariff on most goods from Canada and Mexico. Energy from Canada was subject to an additional 15% tariff. At the time, the White House said it was punishment for those countries’ unwillingness to do more to stop the flow of illegal immigrants and illicit drugs into the U.S. Opponents of Trump’s tariff strategy have criticized his moves against Canada in particular, arguing it was unjustly harming one of the U.S.’s closest allies and trading partners to the detriment of Americans themselves. TRUMP’S SIGNATURE TARIFFS HANG ON KEY QUESTION ABOUT CONGRESS’ POWER BEFORE SUPREME COURT “In the last year, tariffs have cost American families nearly $1,700. And that cost is expected to increase in 2026,” Rep. Gregory Meeks, D-N.Y., who is leading the legislation, said during debate Wednesday. “And since these tariffs were imposed, U.S. exports to Canada have fallen by more than 21%. When I go home, my constituents aren’t telling me that they have an extra $1,700 to spare. They’re asking me to lower grocery prices, lower the price of healthcare and make life more affordable. “Canada is our friend. Canada is our ally. Canadians have fought alongside Americans, whether it was in World War II or the war in Afghanistan, where 165 Canadians gave their lives after our country was attacked. There is no national emergency, there is no national security threat underpinning these threats.” House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Brian Mast, R-Fla., argued the text of the resolution itself would end a national emergency related to fentanyl. “The gentleman over here, 5,000 people per year die in his state alone from fentanyl,” Mast said of Meeks. “So, if he wants to beg the question of who’s going to pay the price of him trying to end an emergency, that actually, for the first time, has Canada dealing with fentanyl because of the pressure being put on them — who’s going to pay the price? It’s going to be 5,000 more of his state’s residents. That’s who’s going to pay the price.” SUPREME COURT TARIFF RULING HAS TRUMP ADMIN, US BUSINESSES BRACING FOR IMPACT He said the resolution was “not a debate about tariffs” but rather Democrats trying to “ignore that there is a fentanyl crisis.” The resolution was filed by Democrats months ago but was put on hold by an active measure by House GOP leaders that blocked the House from reversing Trump’s emergency declarations. The president has used emergency declarations to bypass Congress on the subject of tariffs, a move that has drawn mixed reviews from Capitol Hill. But that measure expired last month, and House GOP leaders’ bid to extend it through July 31 crashed and burned Tuesday night when three Republicans joined Democrats to oppose it. “It is time for Congress to make its voice heard on tariffs,” Bacon, one of the Republicans who voted in opposition to the Trump policy Tuesday and Wednesday, told Fox News Digital. The legislation now heads to the Senate, which has voted in the past to restrict Trump’s tariff authority. Even if it succeeds there, however, it’s likely to be vetoed the president.
DHS unloads on anti-ICE Dems after man arrested with manifesto, ‘disturbing’ alleged plot to kill agents
FIRST ON FOX: The Department of Homeland Security is speaking out against immigration rhetoric from Democrats and launching an investigation after a U.S. citizen in Oregon was arrested and found with a manifesto stating his plans to kill U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) officials. Last week, the St. Helens Police Department north of Portland arrested an 18-year-old during a traffic stop after he was found with knives and materials used to manufacture Molotov cocktails, according to police, Fox 12 Oregon reported. The individual, Rayden Coleman, is also alleged to have authored a manifesto outlining a plan to kill ICE agents at a Portland ICE office in an attack using Molotov cocktails and a gun. Additionally, Coleman reportedly told investigators about his plan and that he planned to pick up an AR-15 the next day from a licensed dealer to carry out the attack. He also reportedly admitted making statements about beheading ICE agents. “Every day there are more assaults, more vehicle-ramming attacks, more attempts to kill our officers,” Assistant DHS Secretary Tricia McLaughlin told Fox News Digital. “Now, we have an American citizen planning to kill ICE officers with Molotov cocktails and gun them down. It’s disturbing. DEMOCRATIC CONGRESSWOMAN SPARKS ONLINE OUTRAGE OVER ‘DERANGED’ QUESTION TO ICE DIRECTOR ABOUT ‘GOING TO HELL’ “Sanctuary politicians comparing ICE day-in and day-out to the Nazi Gestapo, the Secret Police and slave patrols have real-world consequences. The men and women of ICE and CBP are fathers and mothers, sons and daughters. They get up every morning to try and make our communities safer. Like everyone else, they just want to go home to their families at night. The violence and dehumanization of these men and women who are simply enforcing the law must end.” The DHS statement comes the day after several House Democrats railed against ICE during a hearing with acting ICE Director Todd Lyons, comparing ICE agents to Nazis and the Gestapo as they slammed the Trump administration over the deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, two anti-ICE activists killed while opposing federal immigration authorities. ICE REVEALS ‘WORST OF THE WORST’ ARRESTS IN JUST ONE DAY AFTER ROUNDING UP ‘THUGS’ CONVICTED OF VILE CRIMES DHS says there is an ongoing investigation into the Oregon arrest with ICE Homeland Security Investigations and that Coleman is facing state charges on six counts of manufacturing a destructive device and two counts of conspiracy to commit first-degree assault. Coleman is being held in the Columbia County jail, and his bail is listed at $400,000. ICE officers are facing a more than 1,300% increase in assaults against them, according to DHS, along with an 8,000% increase in death threats. As Democrats rally against ICE across the country, Congress has until Friday at midnight to fund DHS. Democrats are threatening to shut down the government if their demands for ICE reforms are not met, and, as days go by, the odds of doing so are becoming increasingly slim. “I think they (Democrats) are using families as political weapons,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem exclusively told Fox News Digital last week. “And this is a little bit different, because when it’s the whole government that they shut down, they’re not necessarily just attacking security. “This feels like a direct attack on the security of our country, our homeland. And it’s almost as though they’ve gotten so extreme, they don’t care if we’re out there on the front lines keeping our country safe from terrorists, keeping our country safe from murderers and rapists.” Fox News Digital’s Alex Miller and Emma Colton contributed to this report.
McConnell released from hospital after health scare, to work from home as key DHS vote looms
Sen. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., has been discharged from the hospital and will work from home this week on the advice of his doctors, according to his spokesman. “Senator McConnell was discharged from the hospital [Tuesday] and is grateful for the outstanding care he received. He is feeling better and will be working from home this week on the advice of his doctors,” spokesman David Popp said in a statement. His absence this week comes as lawmakers face a Friday deadline to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). Senate leaders are discussing a short-term continuing resolution to avoid a partial shutdown while negotiations continue. McConnell, 83, was hospitalized last week after experiencing flu-like symptoms. His office said at the time that he had checked himself into a local hospital “in an abundance of caution” after feeling ill over the weekend. PRO-REPARATIONS PROGRESSIVE DEMOCRAT WHO WANTS ICE ABOLISHED MOUNTS LONGSHOT SENATE BID TO SUCCEED MCCONNELL “In an abundance of caution, after experiencing flu-like symptoms over the weekend, Senator McConnell checked himself into a local hospital for evaluation last night,” a spokesperson said Feb. 3. “His prognosis is positive, and he is grateful for the excellent care he is receiving. He is in regular contact with his staff and looks forward to returning to Senate business.” McConnell has experienced several health scares in recent years, including falls at the Capitol. Last October, McConnell stumbled and fell while walking down a hallway in the Capitol. He was helped up and continued walking. SEN. MITCH MCCONNELL SEEN ON VIDEO FALLING INSIDE SENATE BUILDING Nearly one year ago, he fell on a set of stairs while exiting the Senate chamber. McConnell previously announced that he will not seek re-election in 2026, and plans to retire at the end of his current term, which runs through Jan. 3, 2027. He has served in the Senate for decades, including as Senate majority leader during President Donald Trump’s first administration. McConnell is a survivor of childhood polio. Fox News Digital’s Michael Sinkewicz contributed to this story.
‘Seditious Six’ Democrat lawmakers probed by Trump threaten legal battle
The six Democrats who urged U.S. service members to “refuse illegal orders” are threatening a legal battle with President Donald Trump over what they see as a “weaponization” of the Department of Justice (DOJ). On Wednesday, four House Democrats — Reps. Jason Crow, D-Colo.; Maggie Goodlander, D-N.H.; Chrissy Houlahan, D-Pa.; and Chris Deluzio, D-Pa. — hinted they had prepared for a case of their own after they escaped an indictment Tuesday evening. “Yesterday, the Trump Department of Justice tried and failed to indict us on criminal charges based on a video that we filmed last year simply reminding our fellow service members to follow the law and the Constitution,” Crow said. “They failed, and they will always fail. REPUBLICAN COMBAT VETERANS URGE TROOPS TO ‘STAND STRONG’ AFTER DEMOCRATS’ ‘ILLEGAL ORDERS’ MESSAGE “We are taking names,” Crow said. “We are creating lists. My lawyers just sent a letter today to the Department of Justice, putting them on notice that there will be costs.” Crow did not expand on what kind of suit he would pursue. The “Seditious Six,” as Secretary of War Pete Hegseth called the group of military veteran Democrats, posted a video to social media in November 2025 urging service members to ignore commands that violated the Constitution. “Like us, you all swore an oath to protect and defend this Constitution. Right now, the threats coming to our Constitution aren’t just coming from abroad but from right here at home,” they urged. “Our laws are clear. You can refuse illegal orders. You must refuse illegal orders. No one has to carry out orders that violate the law or our Constitution.” In response, the Department of Justice launched a probe of the group, weighing whether their calls had amounted to sedition. After those charges fell flat Tuesday, Democrats in the Senate who had also participated in the video similarly blasted the DOJ’s probe. WASHINGTON DEMOCRAT SAYS HE BELIEVES TRUMP ISSUED ILLEGAL ORDERS TO THE MILITARY “This is outrageous,” said Sen. Mark Kelly, D-Ariz. “I want to be clear about something. This is not a good news story. This is a story about how Donald Trump and his cronies are trying to break our system in order to silence anyone who lawfully speaks out against them.” Sen. Elissa Slotkin, D-Mich., who also appeared in the video, echoed Kelly’s framing. “The president has used our justice system to weaponize (it) against his perceived enemies,” Slotkin said. “I think that we’ve come to a really sad moment in America, where the paradigm of leadership has become completely reversed in 2026. Instead of looking to our elected leaders, like the president, as setting an example, it is now up to individual citizens in their private capacity to uphold the values of democracy, free speech, liberty, justice.” When asked how he would distinguish between political prosecution and a good-faith effort to uphold the law, Crow pointed to past statements from the administration but declined to offer a litmus test for future cases. “I’ve learned to take Donald Trump’s words and to listen to him,” Crow said. “He actually came right out and said what he thought about this and said this is because he wants to silence political opposition. So, let’s actually just listen to what the man says.” DEM CONGRESSMAN PRESSED ON WHAT TRUMP ORDERS ‘SPECIFICALLY’ WERE ILLEGAL Trump has accused the six lawmakers of being “traitors” who engaged in “sedition at the highest level” and “should be in jail.” He even suggested they should be executed over the video, although he later retracted that comment. Crow declined to answer questions about when he would press his legal strategy and hinted that it might depend on what Trump does next. “So, that’s actually a ball that’s in the Trump administration’s court,” Crow said. “We’ve been very clear about our position and that it needs to stop. If it doesn’t stop, then we’ll take all necessary actions.” The Department of Justice did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Atletico Madrid vs Barcelona: Copa del Rey – team news, start time, lineups
All to know as La Liga leaders Barcelona clash with Atletico Madrid in the first leg of their Copa del Rey semifinal. Listen to this article Listen to this article | 5 mins info Who: Atletico Madrid vs BarcelonaWhat: Copa del Rey semifinalWhere: Metropolitano Stadium in Madrid, SpainWhen: Thursday at 9pm (20:00 GMT)How to follow: Al Jazeera Sport will have live text and photo coverage of the Copa del Rey semifinal. Spanish football titans Atletico and Barcelona will lock horns on Thursday in Madrid with nothing less than a place in the Copa del Rey final on the line. The match is the opening semifinal leg of the competition. The return leg will be played at Barcelona’s Nou Camp Stadium on March 4. Who are the defending Copa champions? Barcelona are the reigning champions after they won the 2025 final 3-2 against Real Madrid for a record-extending 32nd Copa del Rey title. The match was played on April 26 at La Cartuja Stadium in Seville. There has been no repeat Copa champion since Barcelona won it four years straight from 2015 to 2018. When did Barcelona and Atletico last meet? The teams last played in a La Liga fixture on December 2 with Atletico – arriving at Camp Nou on a seven-game winning run in all competitions – striking first when Spanish international Alex Baena put the visitors up inside 20 minutes. But Barcelona rallied strongly with goals by Raphinha, Dani Olmo and Ferran Torres, handing Madrid their first La Liga defeat in more than three months with a resounding 3-1 result. Ferran Torres, centre, scores Barcelona’s third goal in their 3-1 victory against Atletico Madrid on December 2, 2025 [Nacho Doce/Reuters] How did Atletico and Barcelona reach the semifinals? Atletico Madrid advanced to the last four of the Copa del Rey with an emphatic 5-0 win at Real Betis as new signing Ademola Lookman scored on his Rojiblanco debut. Advertisement Goals by Lamine Yamal and Ronald Araujo helped Barcelona reach the semifinal with a nervy 2-1 win at Albacete. The defending champions were pushed to the end in a tight quarterfinal clash by their second division opponents, who stunned Real Madrid in the previous round. Head-to-head Barcelona and Atletico have faced off 249 times in official competition with the first match dating back to April 19, 1925, in the Copa del Rey. Blaugrana holds the head-to-head advantage with 113 victories compared with Madrid’s 79 wins with 57 draws. Atletico’s team news Manager Diego Simeone may be without duo Marc Pubill (illness) and Nicolas Gonzalez (physical discomfort). Both are listed as questionable, and either could still play a part against Barca. Johnny Cardoso is out after the American sustained a low-grade muscle injury training before Thursday’s Copa del Rey quarterfinal against Real Betis. Midfielder Pablo Barrios remains on the sidelines with a thigh injury. Predicted lineup (4-4-2): Oblak (goalkeeper); Llorente, Pubill, Hancko, Ruggeri; Simeone, Mendoza, Koke, Baena; Griezmann, Lookman Barcelona’s Marcus Rashford, right, will not be joining his teammate Robert Lewandowski on the forward line against Atletico Madrid [File: Albert Gea/Reuters] Barcelona’s team news In a last-minute blow, Marcus Rashford is out of the Atletico clash after receiving a knee knock during Barcelona’s 3-0 win over Real Mallorca on Saturday, according to the official FC Barcelona website. Head coach Hansi Flick could also be without Frenkie de Jong (groin), who is listed as doubtful. Teenager Marc Bernal would be the most likely replacement for the Dutchman in the central midfield role. Brazilian superstar Raphinha (thigh injury) is close to a return but will miss this fixture. Pedri (hamstring) and Gavi (knee) continue to be sidelined with longer-term injuries. Predicted lineup (4-3-3): J Garcia (goalkeeper); Kounde, Cubarsi, E Garcia, Balde; Olmo, Bernal, Lopez; Yamal, Lewandowski, Torres Form Guide: Atletico Madrid: W-L-D-W-L (all competitions, most recent result last) Barcelona: W-W-W-W-W Which team has won the most Copa del Rey titles? Barcelona: 32 Athletic Bilbao: 24 Real Madrid: 20 Atletico Madrid: 10 Valencia: eight Is the Copa del Rey the oldest Spanish competition? Yes. Founded in 1903 and organised by the Royal Spanish Football Federation, the Copa del Rey is the oldest Spanish football competition played at a national level. The Copa del Rey winners qualify for the next season’s UEFA Europa League. If the winner has already qualified for Europe through their La Liga ladder position, the Europa League spot is awarded to the next highest placed team that has not yet qualified. The Copa del Rey trophy [File: Fran Santiago/Getty Images] Adblock test (Why?)
Cyclone slams into Madagascar, killing at least 20 people
[unable to retrieve full-text content] Officials in Madagascar say building collapses are responsible for many of the confirmed 20 deaths from Cyclone Gezani.
Why is the issue of Syrian prisoner repatriation from Lebanon complicated?
Beirut, Lebanon – The Lebanese and Syrian governments have reached a deal to repatriate about 300 Syrian inmates in Lebanese prisons back to their home country in a move that could pave the way for better relations between the two neighbours. The issue of Syrian prisoners in Lebanon has been a priority for Damascus since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in December 2024. Relations between the two countries have long been marked by what many Lebanese describe as nearly 30 years of occupation and a tutelage rule by Syria over Lebanon, which ended when Syria withdrew its troops in 2005. Recommended Stories list of 3 itemsend of list About 2,400 Syrian prisoners are currently in Lebanese prisons. Some are held on “terrorism” charges while others are held for links to attacks against the Lebanese army. But most have never been tried despite having spent years in jail, largely due to a myriad of issues, including political gridlock, judicial strikes and general political indifference. And while the deal reached on Friday may signal the beginning of a new relationship between Syria and Lebanon – one built on mutual respect rather than Syria’s direct or indirect control of the smaller state on its western border – it did not come about without any public controversy. In Syrian eyes, many of the prisoners are being held for political rather than judicial reasons. The government of President Ahmed al-Sharaa believes they are in prison mostly due to the influence of the former al-Assad regime and its Hezbollah allies in Lebanon. Advertisement But for many Lebanese, anyone accused of attacks against the Lebanese armed forces should not be released. “Lebanon has long insisted that anyone Syrian or otherwise accused of committing serious crimes against the Lebanese army should not be extradited,” David Wood, the senior Lebanon analyst at the International Crisis Group, told Al Jazeera. “That has been one key obstacle to resolving this prisoner agreement up until now.” Political prisoners? Lebanese-Syrian relations have long been complex. Under Syrian President Hafez al-Assad and later his son Bashar, Syrian forces controlled Lebanon from 1976 to 2005. Even after Syrian troops withdrew from Lebanon, Syria maintained influence over Lebanon via its allies there, including the political and military group Hezbollah. When the 2011 Syrian uprising began and was subsequently repressed by Bashar al-Assad’s regime, Syria’s border with Lebanon soon became a hotspot for the transportation of people – both fighters and refugees – weapons and drugs. Under the agreement signed by Lebanese and Syrian officials, about 300 Syrian prisoners in Lebanese jails will be transferred to Syria in the next three months [Wael Hamzeh/EPA] In Lebanon, the Syrian war had a strong impact. It spilled over into clashes in the northern city of Tripoli; the Battle of Abra, which involved firebrand anti-Assad sheikh Ahmad al-Assir and Lebanese-Palestinian pop star Fadel Shaker; battles with Hezbollah and the Lebanese army on one side and ISIL (ISIS) and al-Qaeda-aligned groups on the other; and attacks on Beirut’s southern suburbs. In the intervening years, hundreds of Syrians were arrested by Lebanese authorities and held in Lebanon’s overcrowded prisons. When the al-Assad regime fell, the new Syrian government quickly looked to reframe the relationship with Lebanon, expressing an interest in building ties based on mutual respect and interests. Among Damascus’s priorities were delineating their shared border and economic and security cooperation. But it also prioritised the repatriation of Syrians in Lebanese prisons. “The allegation from Damascus is that in many cases the reason for [imprisonment] is political and specifically due to perceived ties between the inmates and groups that were opposed to the former regime of Bashar al-Assad,” Wood said. In its view, “it was actually Assad’s Lebanese allies who conspired to make sure that these people were imprisoned in Lebanon.” By that logic, the fall of al-Assad and the weakening of Hezbollah after Israel’s 2024 war on Lebanon meant that these prisoners should be released. Advertisement Some Lebanese disagree and see the issue as more of a grey area. Even if the Syrian prisoners in question had fought Hezbollah, it had been at a time when the Shia group had been coordinating with the Lebanese army – and, for many Lebanese, fighting the army is a red line. An important step On Friday, the agreement was signed with a number of Lebanese ministers present, including Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri and the two countries’ justice ministers. “This is a very important first step on the road of a comprehensive treatment regarding Syrian prisoners in Lebanese prisons,” Mitri said to reporters on Friday. Syrian Justice Minister Mazhar al-Wais said: “This step will boost existing confidence, and we hope that relations will progress more.” The agreement reportedly stipulates that over the next three months, about 300 prisoners will be repatriated to Syria and those serving time for serious crimes, such as rape or murder for example, must have served 10 or more years of their sentences in Lebanese prisons to be eligible for repatriation. Lebanese prisoners, such as al-Assir, are not included in the deal. But other issues remain. Among them are Lebanon’s backlogged judicial system and issues related to Lebanese inmates in Syrian prisons. Only about 750 Syrian prisoners out of the 2,400 have been convicted. That means roughly 65 percent of prisoners are not eligible for repatriation yet. Fadel Abdulghany of the Syrian Network for Human Rights described this as a “two-track” problem. On his personal website, Abdulghany noted that the transfer of prisoners convicted with final sentences can be carried out with a “swift step”. However, for those who have yet to be convicted, the issue is not as straightforward. A mechanism for pretrial detention has not yet been agreed by the respective authorities. “This is not merely a Syrian issue but one that touches the very structure of the Lebanese criminal justice system,” Abdulghany wrote. “Therefore, transferring convicts will not resolve the problem, because the root cause is the slow pace of procedures in
Raipur Institute of Technology launches Chhattisgarh-wide blockchain bootcamp & hackathon in collaboration with Kalp
Raipur Institute of Technology (RITEE), in collaboration with Kalp Studio, has announced a Chhattisgarh-wide five-day Blockchain Bootcamp scheduled from 22nd to 26th February 2026, followed by a two-day Hackathon on 27th and 28th February 2026, to be held in Raipur.
Punjab: Bomb threat to private schools in Mohali via email, bomb disposal, anti-sabotage team deployed
Several prominent schools in Mohali, S.A.S Nagar, Punjab, received a threatening email at around 7:30 a.m. today. Authorities immediately cordoned off the affected schools, declared a holiday for students and staff, and deployed bomb disposal, anti-sabotage, and ARP teams deployed.
Bharat Bandh on February 12: Will schools, colleges, banks, transport remain closed tomorrow? Check details here
India will experience significant disruptions on February 12, 2026, due to a nationwide strike, Bharat Bandh, called by trade unions and farmers’ organisations. Public sector banks, transport, markets and government offices may be affected.