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USA & Canada Intelligence Brief for Thursday, February 12, 2026
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February 12, 2026
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15 min read
What Matters Today
Read about USA & Canada Intelligence Brief for Thursday, February 12, 2026 on The Rio Times.
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What matters today
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1 Canada reels from Tumbler Ridge school massacre — 18-year-old gunman killed 8 people including teacher and students aged 12–13 at secondary school and 2 family members at home; 27 injured; PM Carney cancels Munich Security Conference trip; flags at half-mast nationwide for seven days; deadliest Canadian school shooting in nearly 40 years
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2 Trump tells Netanyahu Iran deal is his “preference” — three-hour White House meeting ends with Trump insisting diplomacy continues; second aircraft carrier strike group may deploy to Gulf; Israel pushes for missile and proxy group limits; next round of talks expected within days
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3 Stocks plunge on AI disruption fears — Dow drops 530 points (-1.1%), S&P 500 falls 1.1%, Nasdaq loses 1.5%; software sector sell-off deepens as AI automation threatens business models; Cisco plunges 12%; Apple, Meta, Amazon all down 2%+
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4 DHS shutdown looms as funding expires Friday midnight — Democrats demand ICE reforms after fatal Minneapolis shootings; negotiations stalled; TSA, Coast Guard, FEMA, Secret Service face disruption; House on recess; Senate scrambles for Plan B
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01
\nMarket Snapshot
\nIntraday Feb 12
\nMarket Snapshot
\nIntraday Feb 12
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| INDEX / PAIR | LEVEL | DAY CHG | SIGNAL |
|---|---|---|---|
| Dow Jones | ~49,590 | -1.1% | ▼ AI disruption fears; software sell-off; Cisco -12% |
| S&P 500 | ~6,858 | -1.2% | ▼ all megacaps retreat; software ETF -4.1% |
| Nasdaq Comp | ~22,720 | -1.5% | ▼ Apple -3%; tech leads losses; Palantir -3%+ |
| USD/CAD | ~1.363 | +0.4% | ▲ USD firms; BoC holds 2.25%; CAD near 16-month highs |
| DXY (Dollar Index) | ~96.81 | +0.1% | ▲ edging up; strong jobs data delays rate-cut bets |
| WTI Crude | $64.99/bbl | +0.8% | ▲ Iran sanctions risk; US crude inventories +8.5M bbl |
| Gold | $5,096/oz | Flat | — near 2-week high; safe-haven demand; PBoC buying 15th month |
| US 10Y Treasury | ~4.17% | +1bp | — strong Jan payrolls (130K) reduce cut odds; CPI Friday |
| Bitcoin | ~$67,530 | +1.3% | ▲ rebound from monthly lows; still down >50% from 2025 peak |
| 30Y Mortgage Rate | 5.99% | Flat | — lowest since 2022; CPI data Friday critical for trajectory |
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02
\nConflict & Stability Tracker
\nConflict & Stability Tracker
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\nCritical
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\nCritical
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US–Iran Nuclear Standoff
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Trump–Netanyahu 3-hour meeting; US prefers deal but second carrier may deploy; Oman talks continue; Iran refuses to expand scope beyond nuclear; USS Abraham Lincoln in Arabian Sea; “Midnight Hammer” strikes still fresh from June 2025; Pentagon planning for military option if diplomacy fails
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\nEscalating
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\nEscalating
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US Domestic – ICE / DHS Crisis
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Two US citizens killed by ICE agents in Minneapolis (Renee Good, Alex Pretti); DHS shutdown deadline Feb 13; Democrats demand body cameras, judicial warrants, sensitive-location protections; bipartisan negotiations stalled; TSA, FEMA, Coast Guard face disruption
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\nTense
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\nTense
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Canada – Gun Violence & Political Shock
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Tumbler Ridge school massacre: 8 dead, 27 injured; worst school shooting in nearly 40 years; PM Carney cancels Munich trip; gun control debate reignited days after federal buy-back program launch; RCMP confirmed firearms previously seized then returned to lawful owner
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\nWatching
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\nWatching
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US–Mexico Border Tensions
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El Paso airspace shut down for 8 hours after Pentagon anti-drone laser dispute with FAA; CBP shot down party balloon with military laser; Trump executive order to militarise coal; border enforcement escalation; Mexico denies drone incursion claim
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03
\nFast Take
\nFast Take
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BREAKINGCanada mourns deadliest school shooting in nearly 40 years — 18-year-old Jesse Van Rootselaar killed 2 family members at home then attacked Tumbler Ridge Secondary School, killing a 39-year-old teacher, three 12-year-old girls and two boys aged 12 and 13; 27 others injured; shooter died of self-inflicted wound; RCMP confirmed prior mental health calls and firearms previously seized then returned; PM Carney cancelled Munich Security Conference, flags at half-mast nationwide 7 days; B.C. declares day of mourning
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DIPLOMACYTrump–Netanyahu meeting: “nothing definitive” on Iran — three-hour closed-door White House session; Trump insists deal is “preference” but warns “consequences are very steep” if Iran refuses; Netanyahu pushed for ballistic missile and proxy group limits; US and Iran held indirect talks in Oman Feb 7; second carrier strike group USS George H.W. Bush may deploy within two weeks; Israel developing joint action plan with US in case diplomacy fails
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CRISISDHS shutdown all but certain by Saturday — funding expires midnight Friday Feb 13; Democrats refuse stopgap without ICE reforms; Senate Republicans exploring Plan B; Thune: “entirely unrealistic” timeline; TSA, Coast Guard, FEMA, Secret Service face furloughs; ICE/CBP largely unaffected due to $75B from 2025 reconciliation law; House on recess; both sides blame the other
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POLICYHouse passes SAVE America Act 218–213 — requires proof of citizenship (passport or birth certificate) to register to vote; photo ID mandatory at polls; voter data shared with DHS for verification; only one Democrat (Cuellar) voted yes; Schumer calls it “dead on arrival” in Senate; voting experts warn 20M+ citizens lack readily available documentation; faces Senate filibuster
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OVERSIGHTAG Bondi clashes with Congress over Epstein files — combative 5-hour House Judiciary hearing; Bondi called Raskin “washed-up loser lawyer”; refused to apologize to survivors present in room; Rep. Khanna previously named 6 men redacted from files including Leslie Wexner; Bondi appeared to have printout of Rep. Jayapal’s DOJ search history; Democrats allege DOJ “cover-up”; Massie broke with GOP to press Bondi on redactions
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ENERGYTrump signs “Champion of Coal” executive order — directs Pentagon to purchase electricity from coal plants via long-term contracts; DOE issues $175M to keep plants open in WV, OH, NC, KY; TVA votes to extend two coal plants past retirement; coal provides ~16% of US electricity, down from 51% in 2001; environmentalists call it “illegal bailout”; Peabody Energy stock +4%
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SECURITYEl Paso airspace shut for 8 hours over Pentagon laser fiasco — FAA closed 10-mile radius around El Paso airport after Pentagon allowed CBP to use high-energy anti-drone laser without full coordination; CBP shot down what turned out to be a party balloon; White House not notified; medical evacuations diverted; Mexico denied drone incursion; FAA warned of potential “deadly force” against violating aircraft
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04
\nDevelopments to Watch
\nDevelopments to Watch
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CANADATumbler Ridge Massacre Shakes Canada to Its Core
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Canada is reeling from one of the worst mass killings in its history. On the afternoon of February 11, an 18-year-old armed with a long gun and a modified handgun first killed two family members — believed to be the shooter’s mother and step-brother — at their home, then walked to Tumbler Ridge Secondary School in the small northern British Columbia town and opened fire. Six victims were found dead inside the school — a 39-year-old teacher, three 12-year-old girls, and two boys aged 12 and 13. A seventh victim died en route to hospital. Twenty-seven others were treated for injuries, including two airlifted to hospitals outside the area. The RCMP confirmed the shooter, Jesse Van Rootselaar, died from a self-inflicted gunshot wound. Police had previously attended the family home over mental health concerns, and firearms had been seized at one point but later returned to their lawful owner upon petition. The massacre occurred days after the federal government unveiled a long-delayed buy-back program for prohibited firearms. Prime Minister Mark Carney cancelled his Munich Security Conference trip, ordered flags at half-mast for seven days, and addressed the House of Commons, saying: “What happened has left our nation in shock and all of us in mourning.” B.C. Premier David Eby declared a day of mourning. It is the deadliest attack connected to a Canadian educational facility since the 1989 École Polytechnique massacre in Montreal.
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FOREIGN POLICYTrump–Netanyahu Meeting Reveals Diplomatic Tightrope on Iran
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President Trump met Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for nearly three hours at the White House on Wednesday in their seventh encounter since Trump’s second term began. The meeting took place against the backdrop of US-Iran indirect talks held in Oman on February 7 — the first since the devastating 12-day war in June 2025, which included US strikes on three Iranian nuclear sites in “Operation Midnight Hammer.” Trump said afterward that “nothing definitive” was reached but he “insisted that negotiations with Iran continue,” calling a deal his “preference.” However, he warned that “consequences are very steep” if Iran refuses. Netanyahu’s office said the prime minister had “emphasized Israel’s security needs,” pushing for any deal to include limits on Iran’s ballistic missile program and support for proxy groups. The Pentagon has told a second aircraft carrier strike group — the USS George H.W. Bush, currently off Virginia — to prepare for possible Gulf deployment within two weeks. Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has signalled willingness to negotiate on nuclear issues but insists Tehran must retain the right to enrich uranium, a key sticking point. Israeli and US officials privately doubt talks will succeed and are reportedly developing a joint military action plan as a contingency. Iran says it has replenished missile stocks since the June conflict. Trump told Fox Business: “No nuclear weapons, no missiles.”
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CONGRESSDHS Shutdown Looms as ICE Reform Standoff Deepens
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The Department of Homeland Security is almost certainly heading for a funding lapse at midnight Friday, the third such disruption in recent months. The immediate cause is unresolved partisan disagreement over immigration enforcement after two US citizens — Renee Good and Alex Pretti — were fatally shot by federal agents in Minneapolis. Democrats have laid out a 10-point demand list including body cameras for ICE agents, a ban on entering private property without judicial warrants, and protections for sensitive locations like schools and churches. Republicans have called these demands “non-starters.” Senate Majority Leader Thune acknowledged it is “entirely unrealistic” to resolve the impasse by Friday and said he told House Republicans to expect votes on a stopgap measure. But Senate Democrats, led by Schumer, have vowed not to vote for any extension that does not rein in ICE, meaning the 60-vote threshold is unlikely to be reached. The House is on scheduled recess with no plans to return. While a DHS shutdown would hit TSA, the Coast Guard, FEMA, the Secret Service, and cybersecurity operations, immigration enforcement agencies are largely shielded: ICE and CBP received approximately $75 billion through last year’s reconciliation law. The shutdown could extend until at least the week of February 23.
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MARKETSAI Disruption Fears Hammered Wall Street
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US equities swung from modest morning gains to sharp losses on Thursday as fears about AI’s potential to displace entire industries rippled through Wall Street. The Dow shed 530 points (-1.1%), the S&P 500 dropped 1.1%, and the Nasdaq fell 1.5%. The sell-off was concentrated in technology: Apple led losses among the Magnificent Seven, falling 3%, with Meta and Amazon each down over 2%. A software-sector ETF plunged 4.1% as concerns intensified that AI automation tools will erode the business models of traditional software companies. Cisco plunged 12% after its forecast highlighted higher memory-chip prices squeezing margins, underscoring how AI’s buildout creates winners and losers simultaneously. On the positive side, Micron surged 10% on optimism about HBM4 production, and Equinix soared 11% on strong guidance. The selloff erased earlier optimism from Wednesday’s better-than-expected January payrolls report (130,000 jobs added vs. 55,000 expected; unemployment at 4.3%), which paradoxically reduced expectations for near-term Fed rate cuts. Markets now price a 93.6% probability of a June cut. Banks also fell on White House pressure to cap credit card rates. McDonald’s edged higher after beating earnings estimates. Investors now await Friday’s CPI data as the next critical catalyst.
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ACCOUNTABILITYBondi Hearing Exposes Deep Fractures Over Epstein Files
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Attorney General Pam Bondi’s five-hour testimony before the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday was dominated by fierce clashes over the Justice Department’s handling of the Epstein files. Democrats accused Bondi of orchestrating a “massive cover-up,” citing extensive redactions in the 3.5 million pages released, including the blacking out of names like billionaire Leslie Wexner, whom the FBI once labelled an Epstein co-conspirator. Bondi called ranking member Raskin a “washed-up loser lawyer,” accused Massie of “Trump derangement syndrome,” and refused to apologize when Rep. Jayapal asked survivors — eleven of whom were present, wearing white — to stand if they had not yet met with the DOJ. All raised their hands. In a particularly alarming development, photographs showed Bondi carrying a printed document labelled “Jayapal Pramila Search History,” appearing to show the congresswoman’s searches of the DOJ’s Epstein database. Jayapal accused the DOJ of surveilling members of Congress. Even Speaker Johnson called such conduct “inappropriate if it happened.” Last week, Reps. Khanna and Massie viewed unredacted files at the DOJ and on Tuesday, Khanna named six men on the House floor whose identities had been hidden. Ghislaine Maxwell invoked the Fifth Amendment during a House deposition the same day, though her attorney suggested she would give a “complete account” in exchange for presidential clemency.
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ENERGYTrump Orders Pentagon to Buy Coal Power in Sweeping Pro-Fossil Fuel Push
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President Trump signed an executive order on Wednesday directing the Department of Defense to secure long-term power purchase agreements with coal-fired plants for military installations, the administration’s most aggressive move yet to revive the declining coal industry. The order, signed at a White House ceremony dubbed “The Champion of Coal Event” attended by Peabody Energy CEO James Grech and miners in hard hats, followed Trump receiving a trophy inscribed “Undisputed Champion of Beautiful Clean Coal” from the Washington Coal Club. Trump said his administration has approved over 70 new coal mining permits. The Department of Energy simultaneously announced $175 million in funding to extend the life of six coal plants across West Virginia, Ohio, North Carolina, and Kentucky. The Tennessee Valley Authority board voted the same day to indefinitely extend two coal plants previously slated for retirement. Environmental advocates were scathing: the Union of Concerned Scientists warned the order would “send high electricity costs higher,” while the Sierra Club called it an “illegal bailout.” Coal currently provides approximately 16% of US electricity, down from 51% in 2001, with 99% of coal plants more expensive to operate than their renewable replacements, according to a 2023 Energy Innovation analysis.
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BORDEREl Paso Airspace Debacle Reveals Pentagon-FAA Coordination Breakdown
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The FAA abruptly shut down a 10-mile radius of airspace around El Paso International Airport late Tuesday for what was initially announced as a 10-day restriction — the longest full airspace grounding since September 11, 2001. Eight hours later, it was lifted. The episode stemmed from a breakdown in coordination between the Pentagon, Customs and Border Protection, and the FAA over the use of a high-energy anti-drone laser near Fort Bliss. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth had approved loaning the technology to CBP in recent weeks, and agents used it to shoot down what turned out to be a mylar party balloon, not a cartel drone. The FAA was not given advance warning of the deployment and imposed the closure out of concern for civilian aircraft safety. The White House was not notified before the airspace was closed. The episode created what El Paso Mayor Renard Johnson called “chaos and confusion” — medical evacuation flights were diverted 45 miles to Las Cruces, New Mexico, and the FAA’s warning to pilots included a threat that the US government “may use deadly force” against non-compliant aircraft. Mexico‘s President Sheinbaum denied any drone incursion. Rep. Veronica Escobar said: “The information coming from the federal government does not add up.”
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05
\nSovereign & Credit Pulse
\nSovereign & Credit Pulse
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| COUNTRY | KEY DEVELOPMENT | CREDIT SIGNAL |
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| United States | Jan payrolls +130K; unemployment 4.3%; DHS shutdown looming; CPI Friday; Fed rate hold through March | June cut priced at 93.6%; fiscal stress from recurring shutdowns; CBO warns deficits worsening |
| Canada | Tumbler Ridge massacre dominates; BoC at 2.25%; unemployment 6.5%; Carney cancels Munich trip | Loonie firming on strong jobs; gun control debate may impact policy trajectory; CAD near 16-month high vs USD |
| US–Iran | Oman talks; Trump–Netanyahu meeting; second carrier may deploy; Iran insists on enrichment rights | Oil geopolitical premium holding; WTI at ~$65; military confrontation risk elevating energy markets |
| US–Mexico | El Paso airspace fiasco; border enforcement escalation; cartel drone narrative disputed | Bilateral tensions elevated; coordination failures between federal agencies |
| US Energy | Coal executive order; Pentagon long-term coal contracts; TVA extends two coal plants; DOE $175M | Policy reversal on energy transition; coal equities rallying; grid reliability debate intensifies |
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\nPower Players
\nPower Players
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| WHO | ROLE | WHY IT MATTERS |
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| Donald Trump | President, United States | Pressing Iran deal while keeping military option; signed coal EO; SAVE Act priority; DHS showdown |
| Mark Carney | Prime Minister, Canada | Leading national response to Tumbler Ridge massacre; cancelled Munich trip; gun control debate looms |
| Pam Bondi | Attorney General, United States | Combative 5-hour hearing on Epstein files; accused of surveilling Congress; redaction controversy |
| Benjamin Netanyahu | Prime Minister, Israel | Pushing Trump for broader Iran deal covering missiles and proxies; developing joint US-Israeli contingency |
| Ro Khanna | US Representative (D-CA) | Named six redacted men from Epstein files on House floor including Wexner; bipartisan push for transparency |
| Mike Johnson | Speaker of the House | Championed SAVE Act passage; navigating DHS shutdown with House on recess; faces midterm headwinds |
| Pete Hegseth | Secretary of Defense | Signed off on CBP anti-drone laser; El Paso airspace fiasco; coal power purchase order implementer |
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07
\nRegulatory & Policy Watch
\nRegulatory & Policy Watch
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| JURISDICTION | MEASURE | STATUS / IMPACT |
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| US House | SAVE America Act — proof of citizenship for voter registration; photo ID to vote | Passed 218-213; only one Dem voted yes; faces filibuster in Senate; Schumer calls it “dead on arrival” |
| US Executive | Coal power purchase EO — Pentagon to buy electricity from coal plants | Signed Feb 11; DOE $175M for plant life extensions; TVA extends two plants; Peabody +4% |
| US Congress | DHS appropriations — funding expires midnight Feb 13 | Shutdown probable; Democrats demand ICE reforms; ICE/CBP shielded by reconciliation funds; TSA, FEMA at risk |
| US DOJ | Epstein Files Transparency Act compliance — 3.5M pages released; redactions disputed | Bondi committed to correcting improper redactions; Jayapal search history incident escalates oversight tensions |
| Canada | Firearms policy — buy-back program for prohibited weapons just launched | Tumbler Ridge shooting reignites debate; RCMP returned seized firearms to lawful owner before attack |
| US–Iran | Nuclear negotiations — Oman indirect talks; second carrier deployment under consideration | Iran rejects broader scope; enrichment rights non-negotiable; next talks expected within days |
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08
\nCalendar
\nNext 72 Hours
\nCalendar
\nNext 72 Hours
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| DATE | EVENT | SIGNIFICANCE |
|---|---|---|
| Feb 12 | Initial jobless claims & existing home sales data | Jobless claims est. 225K (vs. 231K prior); home sales est. 4.15M annualized; labour market health check |
| Feb 12 | Earnings: Coinbase, Rivian, Roku, DraftKings | Crypto, EV, streaming, and betting sectors report; tests consumer discretionary strength |
| Feb 13 | DHS funding deadline — midnight | Partial shutdown probable; Senate expected to attempt procedural vote Thursday; TSA, FEMA, Coast Guard at risk |
| Feb 14 | Consumer Price Index (CPI) — January | Critical inflation reading; will shape Fed rate-cut expectations; market-moving event |
| Feb 13–15 | Munich Security Conference — Germany | ~50 heads of state; Carney absent due to shooting; Canada sending ministers; US delegation TBD |
| Feb 14 | PM Carney visit to Tumbler Ridge, B.C. | National mourning; gun control policy response expected; B.C. day of mourning |
| Feb 15+ | Next round of US–Iran indirect talks (expected) | Continuation of Oman channel; scope of negotiations under dispute; carrier deployment decision pending |
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09
\nBottom Line
\nBottom Line
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North America on February 12 is a continent running on institutional dysfunction and unprocessed grief. In a small British Columbia town, children are dead in their school library while the RCMP confirms that guns seized from their killer’s home were returned to the lawful owner on petition — a procedural fact that will become the centrepiece of Canada’s most agonising policy debate in years. Mark Carney, barely months into his premiership, must now navigate a national trauma that cuts straight to the question of whether the country’s gun laws actually function as intended, or merely create the appearance of safety. South of the border, the dysfunction is structural. Washington cannot fund its own homeland security department because it cannot resolve an argument about whether federal agents should wear body cameras when conducting operations that have already killed two American citizens. The TSA, the Coast Guard, and FEMA are about to become collateral damage in a fight over ICE accountability, while the immigration enforcement agencies themselves are insulated by $75 billion in reconciliation funding — meaning the shutdown will hurt everyone except the agency Democrats are trying to reform. This is not a paradox; it is a design feature. Meanwhile, the attorney general of the United States spent five hours calling members of Congress “washed-up loser lawyers” while Epstein survivors stood behind her with their hands raised. The House passed a voter-ID bill that will die in the Senate. The Pentagon let Customs and Border Protection shoot down a party balloon with a military laser and shut down a city’s airspace for eight hours. And the president signed an executive order to make the military buy coal, a fuel that costs more to burn than the energy it generates. The markets, finally, noticed something to worry about: not governance collapse, but the prospect that AI might displace their software portfolios. The Dow lost 530 points on the revelation that artificial intelligence creates losers as well as winners. The Iran nuclear file remains the most consequential story on the horizon. Trump’s insistence to Netanyahu that diplomacy is his “preference” is reassuring only until you remember that the same preference existed in early 2025, and the result was Operation Midnight Hammer. A second carrier strike group is being readied. The gap between preference and outcome is measured in weeks, not months.
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This is part of The Rio Times’ coverage of North American economic and financial market developments.
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