Month: January 2026

President Donald Trump is reviewing a broad set of options for responding to Iran’s violent suppression of nationwide protests, as human rights groups report that more than 500 people have been killed and thousands detained during weeks of unrest.

U.S. officials say the president has been briefed on preliminary plans that include potential military strikes as well as non-military measures such as cyber operations, economic pressure and expanded sanctions. No final decision has been made, and there have been no U.S. troop movements signaling imminent action, per CNN.

The protests, which erupted in late December over the collapse of Iran’s currency and soaring inflation, have evolved into one of the most serious challenges to the Islamic Republic in decades. Demonstrators are now openly demanding the removal of the ruling clerical establishment. Iran has faced inflation above 50% and a rapidly devaluing rial, trading at more than 1.4 million to the dollar.

The U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency has reported at least 538 deaths, while Iran Human Rights, a Norway-based group, cited unverified accounts suggesting the toll could be higher. The same activists group estimates that more than 10,600 people have been arrested across 574 locations in 185 cities. Iran has not released official figures. An ongoing internet blackout has severely limited independent reporting. Amnesty International said the shutdown appears intended “to hide the true extent of the grave human rights violations and crimes under international law they are carrying out to crush nationwide protests.”

Trump has issued repeated warnings to Tehran, saying U.S. involvement would be triggered if authorities escalated violence against protesters. Speaking last week at the White House, the President said if Iran began “killing people like they have in the past, we would get involved .. We’ll be hitting them very hard where it hurts,” stressing that action would not mean “boots on the ground.” On social media, Trump voiced support for demonstrators, writing: “Iran is looking at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!” The State Department echoed that message, saying, “Do not play games with President Trump. When he says he’ll do something, he means it.”

Iranian leaders have responded with sharp warnings. Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf said Sunday that U.S. and Israeli targets in the region would be considered legitimate if Iran were attacked. “If the United States launches a military attack, both the occupied territory and U.S. military and maritime centers will be our legitimate targets,” he said, adding, “Within the framework of legitimate defense, we do not limit ourselves to reacting after an attack.” Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, dismissed U.S. threats, writing on X: “Our enemies don’t know Iran. In the past, the US failed due to their flawed planning. Today too, their flawed scheming will cause them to fail.”

In Washington, lawmakers remain divided. Sen. Tim Kaine, D-Va., warned that U.S. military involvement would be a “massive mistake,” arguing it would allow Tehran to blame foreign interference rather than its own failures. Sen. Rand Paul, R-Ky., said bombing Iran could rally public support around the regime, while Sen. Mark Warner, D-Va., cited the long shadow of the 1953 U.S.-backed coup in Iran. Others have taken a harder line. Sen. Lindsey Graham, R-S.C., urged Trump to “embolden the protesters and scare the hell out of the regime,” saying, “If I were you, Mr. President, I would kill the leadership that are killing the people.”

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Authorities have taken a suspect into custody following a predawn fire that tore through Beth Israel Congregation in Jackson, Mississippi, causing extensive damage to the state’s largest and only synagogue in the city. Investigators say the blaze was intentionally set, and the FBI is assisting local officials as they examine whether the attack qualifies as a hate crime.

The fire broke out shortly after 3 a.m. on Saturday. Jackson Fire Chief Charles Felton said investigators believe the fire started in the synagogue’s library before spreading toward the sanctuary. Fire officials said they quickly contained the blaze and extinguished the flames, confirming that no one was inside the building at the time, and no injuries were reported among congregants.  Images from the scene showed severe destruction in the synagogue’s library and administrative offices, where multiple Torah scrolls were either destroyed or badly damaged. Smoke and soot spread throughout the building, leaving the sanctuary’s floors, walls and ceilings coated in ash. Congregation leaders said that Two Torahs stored in the library were destroyed, while others are being evaluated for smoke exposure.  One Torah that survived the Holocaust, kept behind glass, was not harmed. Felton noted that the extent of smoke damage means the congregation will not be able to return to the building for some time, and will need to temporarily relocate its services.

Mayor John Horhn confirmed that a person was detained following a joint investigation involving city authorities, the FBI and the Joint Terrorism Task Force. Officials have not released the suspect’s name or motive, citing the ongoing inquiry. Fire investigators said the individual was found at a local hospital with non-life-threatening burn injuries and is expected to face arson charges once medically cleared. Horhn said in a statement: “Acts of antisemitism, racism, and religious hatred are attacks on Jackson as a whole and will be treated as acts of terror against residents’ safety and freedom to worship. Targeting people because of their faith, race, ethnicity, or sexual orientation is morally wrong, un-American, and completely incompatible with the values of this city.”

Beth Israel Congregation holds deep historical significance. The synagogue was bombed by the Ku Klux Klan in 1967 because of its involvement in civil rights efforts, according to the Institute of Southern Jewish Life, which is headquartered in the same building. Michele Schipper, CEO of the Institute of Southern Jewish Life and a past president of the congregation, said in a statement “We’re all devastated, but we are ready to rebuild, and with the support and outreach from our community, we will continue to be a vibrant Jewish community in Jackson, Mississippi. The Institute of Southern Jewish Life also emphasized the outpouring of local support. “As Jackson’s only synagogue, Beth Israel is a beloved institution, and it is the fellowship of our neighbors and extended community that will see us through,” the organization said in a statement.

Jewish advocacy groups condemned the fire, pointing to a broader rise in antisemitic incidents nationwide. “This wasn’t random vandalism — it was a deliberate, targeted attack on the Jewish community,” said Jonathan Greenblatt, CEO of the Anti-Defamation League. “That it has been attacked again, amid a surge of antisemitic incidents across the US, is a stark reminder: antisemitic violence is escalating, and it demands total condemnation and swift action from everyone.”

Despite the destruction, the congregation has vowed to continue to rebuild, and local churches have offered space for services, including Shabbat observances, while repairs are underway. Synagogue president Zach Shemper said:“We are a resilient people. With the support from the community, we will rebuild. Beth Israel Congregation has been the Jewish spiritual home in Jackson, MS for over 160 years.”

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Tensions escalated and clashes erupted in Minneapolis after a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer fatally shot a 37-year-old woman during a protest Wednesday, triggering conflicting accounts from federal and state officials and prompting outrage nationwide. The Department of Homeland Security identified the woman as Renee Nicole Good, a U.S. citizen who had relocated to the Twin Cities from the Kansas City area. Federal officials allege Good was trying to strike officers with her vehicle when the shooting occurred. Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem labeled the incident an act of “domestic terrorism,” arguing the car was used as a “deadly weapon.”

State and city leaders strongly reject that version of events. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey said video evidence does not support claims that Good drove toward the agent or attempted to use her car as a weapon. “This was an agent recklessly using power that resulted in somebody dying — getting killed,” Frey said. Gov. Tim Walz echoed that assessment, describing the shooting as “reckless” and urging the public to question federal narratives.

The controversy deepened Thursday when the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension (BCA) announced it was removed from the investigation. Drew Evans, the agency’s superintendent, said the BCA’s Force Investigations Unit had initially planned a joint probe with the FBI, following coordination with the U.S. Attorney’s Office and Hennepin County Attorney’s Office. That arrangement was abruptly reversed.

Evans said: “Later that afternoon, the FBI informed the BCA that the U.S. Attorney’s Office had reversed course: The investigation would now be led solely by the FBI, and the BCA would no longer have access to the case materials, scene evidence or investigative interviews necessary to complete a thorough and independent investigation.” Without full access to evidence, Evans said, the bureau withdrew. “The BCA Force Investigations Unit was designed to ensure consistency, accountability and public confidence, none of which can be achieved without full cooperation and jurisdictional clarity,” he said, adding that officials expect the FBI to complete a comprehensive inquiry and share findings with prosecutors at both levels of government.

Hennepin County Attorney Mary Moriarty said her office is exploring alternatives to ensure state-level oversight continues. “After the FBI rescinded its cooperation agreement with the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal Apprehension, our office immediately began exploring all options to ensure a state level investigation can continue,” she said. Moriarty warned that if the FBI remains the sole investigator, the state and public may never see the findings, undermining transparency.

Gov. Walz said excluding Minnesota investigators threatens public trust, noting that the BCA is staffed by “non-partisan career professionals that have spent years building the trust of the community. I will continue to press that we be part of the investigation, that we do the investigation, so that Minnesotans can trust what the outcome is.” The governor also questioned the fairness of a purely federal probe and accused national leaders of prejudging the case, calling Noem “judge, jury and executioner.”

At the White House, Vice President JD Vance forcefully defended the ICE officer, bristling at descriptions of the agent as a “federal assassin.” He characterized Good’s actions as an “attack on federal law enforcement” and an “attack on the American people,” saying, “she was trying to ram this guy with her car. He shot back. He defended himself … The reason this woman is dead, is because she tried to ram somebody with her car, and that guy acted in self-defense. That is why she lost her life, and that is the tragedy.” Vance acknowledged uncertainty about Good’s intent, saying “Look, if people want to say that we should have a legitimate debate about, you know, what was she really doing? Right? Was she panicking when she drove into this officer, or was she actually trying to ram him? That’s a reasonable conversation. I don’t know what is in a person’s heart or in a person’s head.”  He also alleged, without evidence, that Good was part of a “left-wing network” targeting ICE officers.

As the FBI assumes sole control of the investigation, Minnesota leaders remain skeptical that justice will be served. Walz said he is doubtful a “fair outcome” can be reached without state involvement, while Frey dismissed ICE’s account as “bulls—” and urged residents not to accept what Walz called a federal “propaganda machine.”

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On Thursday, the U.S. Senate moved to restrict President Donald Trump’s ability to carry out additional military operations in or against Venezuela without explicit congressional approval, advancing a bipartisan war powers resolution amid growing concern over the administration’s unilateral actions.

In a 52–47 vote, the Senate agreed to bring the measure to the floor, with five Republicans — Sens. Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Todd Young of Indiana, Josh Hawley of Missouri and Rand Paul of Kentucky — breaking with party leadership to support advancing the resolution. Several said they backed the initial operation to seize Maduro but opposed any prolonged or expanded military engagement without Congress weighing in.

The vote followed last weekend’s operation that resulted in the capture and extradition of Venezuelan leader Nicolás Maduro and his wife to the United States, where they face federal charges including narco-trafficking and weapons offenses. Both have pleaded not guilty. President Trump has since suggested the United States could temporarily “run” Venezuela and has not ruled out deploying American troops there, raising alarms among lawmakers in both parties.

The resolution, introduced by Sen. Tim Kaine of Virginia and co-sponsored by Sen. Rand Paul along with several Democratic leaders, would require Congress to authorize any continued hostilities involving U.S. forces in Venezuela. Sen. Kaine argued the administration had crossed a constitutional line: “Instead of responding to Americans’ concerns about the affordability crisis, President Trump started a war with Venezuela that is profoundly disrespectful to U.S. troops, deeply unpopular, suspiciously secretive and likely corrupt. How is that ‘America First?’  To my Senate colleagues: Enough is enough.”

Sen. Collins said in a statement: “I believe invoking the War Powers Act at this moment is necessary, given the President’s comments about the possibility of ‘boots on the ground’ and a sustained engagement ‘running’ Venezuela, with which I do not agree.”   Sen Young warned that a long-term military role would contradict Trump’s stated aim of reducing U.S. involvement abroad, while Hawley said any deployment of troops into hostilities must be approved by Congress, and Sen. Paul echoed those concerns, saying, “But make no mistake, bombing another nation’s capital and removing their leader is an act of war, plain and simple. No provision in the Constitution provides such power to the presidency.” He later warned that failing to assert Congress’s role would leave the country “run by emergency.”

Republican leaders urged opposition to the measure. Senate Majority Whip John Barrasso of Wyoming argued the Maduro operation amounted to law enforcement rather than war. “It does not make America stronger. It makes America weaker and less safe,” he said, contending the resolution would undermine the president’s constitutional authority.

The White House also strongly objected. A memo from the Office of Management and Budget stated that Maduro’s actions posed an ongoing threat to the United States and the region, and said that if the resolution reached the president’s desk, “his advisors would recommend that he veto” it. After the vote, Trump sharply criticized the GOP senators who sided with Democrats, writing on Truth Social that they “should never be elected to office again” and that the resolution “greatly hampers American Self Defense and National Security, impeding the President’s Authority as Commander in Chief.” He also repeated his claim that the War Powers Act itself is unconstitutional.

The measure is expected to pass a final Senate vote next week but faces long odds of becoming law. It would still need approval from the House and the president’s signature, and it lacks the two-thirds support required to override a veto.

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