Today In Issues:
FDD Research & Analysis
The Must-Reads
Israel and Hamas are teetering toward war WSJ’s Sadanand Dhume: If Indians and Pakistanis can relocate, why can’t Gazans? Israel sees opening for strikes on Iranian nuclear sites, U.S. intelligence finds Two British nationals in custody in Iran on 'security charges', state media reports Trump says he and Putin agreed to begin talks on ending Ukraine war Russian drones hit Ukraine port, Moldova says drones exploded on its soil Israel has US backing to stay in Lebanon beyond truce deadline, Israeli TV says MEPIN’s Eric R. Mandel: The Trump administration needs a Turkish-Syria policy right now North Korea dismantling facility near border for separated families, Seoul says China tries to play the role of peacemaker in Ukraine Australia and China trade blame over fighter jet incident in South China Sea Russian-linked bots sow fear, distrust ahead of German voteIn The News
Israel
Just over three weeks into a cease-fire that has brought the Gaza Strip relative peace, Israel and Hamas are already bracing for a possible return to war. – Wall Street Journal
The 16 Israeli hostages freed in recent weeks after being held in Gazan tunnels and homes for more than a year have begun to provide accounts to their families of being beaten, chained, burned and violently interrogated, according to relatives. – Washington Post
Germany’s cabinet approved the deployment of police to two EU civilian missions in the Palestinian territories on Wednesday, including an operation to monitor the border crossing between Gaza and Egypt at Rafah. – Reuters
Hamas does not want the Gaza ceasefire agreement to collapse, the Palestinian militant group said on Thursday, ahead of a Saturday deadline for it to release more Israeli hostages. – Reuters
The armed wing of Palestinian militant group Islamic Jihad, which has been holding Israeli hostages since October 7, 2023, said on Wednesday that the fate of those hostages was tied to the actions of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. – Reuters
Three weeks into the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, the number of tents and temporary homes entering Gaza risks falling short of the goals set for the deal’s first phase. – Associated Press
U.S. Special Envoy for Hostage Affairs Adam Boehler warned Hamas not to test President Donald Trump as the deadline for the militant group to release the next round of hostages approaches this weekend. – Fox News
Israel has reportedly sent a message to Hamas through mediators Egypt and Qatar that the hostage release-ceasefire deal will continue if the terror group releases three more hostages on Saturday. – Times of Israel
Interior Minister Moshe Arbel announced Wednesday that he intends to deport three East Jerusalem Palestinians who are family members of terrorists and have allegedly expressed support for terrorism. – Times of Israel
Editorial: Hamas’s latest step back from the hostage deal will come at a heavy price. Gaza will face the full consequences of its leadership’s actions. Israel, backed by strong US support, will not hesitate to respond with overwhelming force. The days of restraint are over – our enemies will feel the consequences of their terror. With the US standing firmly behind us, “all hell will break loose,” for those who threaten our security. The pendulum is on Hamas’s side now. Whether it swings towards returning the hostages or snaps loose from the thread that has given the region a moment to breathe of late is up to terrorists who hold human lives in their hands. – Jerusalem Post
Sadanand Dhume writes: No one knows if Mr. Trump’s plan will succeed. Removing Gazans by force would create a humanitarian crisis, but it’s not unreasonable to believe that the majority would leave if given the chance to build a better life elsewhere. Either way, we wouldn’t even be having this conversation if Arab states had welcomed Palestinian Arabs the way many other countries around the world have welcomed refugees. – Wall Street Journal
Mordechai Kedar writes: No, Israel should enhance its relations with Azerbaijan as much as possible since these relations are of the highest importance, especially in the near future when Iran might cross the threshold on its way to a nuclear bomb. The strategic location of Azerbaijan and its special importance for Israel’s security imposes on the Jewish state the necessity to adopt a crystal-clear policy of support for such an ally. Friendship is tested in times of necessity, and if Azerbaijan needs Israel’s support, it should be given – generously and decisively. Loyalty to friends is a highly important component of any state’s status in the international arena. – Jerusalem Post
Iran
U.S. intelligence agencies concluded during the final days of the Biden administration that Israel is considering significant strikes on Iranian nuclear sites this year, aiming to take advantage of Iran’s weakness, officials familiar with the report said. – Wall Street Journal
Two British nationals, a man and a woman, are in custody in Iran’s southeastern city of Kerman on security-related charges, state media reported on Thursday. – Reuters
Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei said on Wednesday Iran should further develop its military, including its missiles, after U.S. President Donald Trump made threats of force against Tehran if it refused to negotiate over its nuclear programme. – Reuters
The amount of Russian and Iranian oil held on ships has hit multi-month highs as harsher U.S. sanctions reduced the number of buyers, leaving fewer tankers available to deliver cargoes and driving up crude costs, trade sources and analysts said. – Reuters
Russia & Ukraine
The Russian co-founder of a popular bitcoin exchange will be released from U.S. custody Wednesday, a day after a deal between Washington and Moscow freed American Marc Fogel, a U.S. official said. – Wall Street Journal
President Trump said he and Russia’s Vladimir Putin on Wednesday had agreed to open immediate talks to end the war in Ukraine in a “lengthy and highly productive phone call” between the two leaders. – Wall Street Journal
American Marc Fogel arrived in the U.S. on Tuesday after being freed from a Russian prison, a move that Moscow said would result in the release of a Russian held in the U.S., under a deal brokered by President Trump’s special envoy. – Wall Street Journal
More than 100 Russian civilians, several of them severely wounded, have been evacuated here from Ukraine-occupied territory in Russia in recent days, as Russian President Vladimir Putin intensifies efforts to push Ukrainian forces out of his country ahead of any potential peace talks. – Washington Post
A Russian special forces commander served on four battlefronts across eastern Ukraine after joining Russia’s invasion nearly three years ago. He said the most ferocious fighting he has seen is now unfolding back home, as the Russian Army he serves struggles to liberate a sliver of national territory from Ukrainian forces. – New York Times
To Ukraine, they are a chit to play in an ongoing appeal to President Trump for more financial and military support. To Mr. Trump, they should be overdue payment for billions of dollars committed to Kyiv’s war effort. – New York Times
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent became the first senior Trump administration official to visit Ukraine, arriving on Wednesday for talks on an agreement that would trade access to Ukrainian natural resources for continued military support. – New York Times
A woman was killed in Russia’s Belgorod border region on Wednesday when a Ukrainian drone struck her car, the regional governor said. – Reuters
Russia has what it needs to fight on in Ukraine for at least another year and retains the battlefield initiative, but is struggling to replace its destroyed tanks, experts at a leading security research organisation said on Wednesday. – Reuters
The Kremlin said on Wednesday Russia will never discuss trading the Ukrainian territory it holds for areas in Russia’s western Kursk region held by Kyiv. – Reuters
Russian drone attacks damaged port infrastructure in southern Ukraine, officials said on Thursday, while neighbouring Moldova said two drones had blown up on its soil and NATO member Romania said its airspace had likely been breached. – Reuters
Ukraine’s National Security and Defence Council imposed sanctions on former President Petro Poroshenko, a presidential decree published on Thursday said. – Reuters
Russia’s stockpiles of Cold War-era weapons and larger population have allowed it to withstand heavy battlefield losses in Ukraine as the West fails to provide Ukraine the aid needed to mount a counteroffensive, according to an annual review of the global military situation. – Associated Press
Ukrainian officials asked US President Donald Trump’s administration to let them use frozen Russian assets worth $300 billion to buy US-made weapons, according to European officials familiar with the matter. – Bloomberg
Kyiv’s backers reacted with shock and outrage to U.S. President Donald Trump’s announcement that he had spoken with Russian leader Vladimir Putin and would “start negotiations immediately” with him about the Ukraine war. – Politico
President Trump says he is planning to meet with President Putin in Saudi Arabia to discuss a peace plan for Ukraine, following a discussion today with the Russian leader. In a 90-minute phone call the two “agreed to have our respective teams start negotiations immediately,” Mr. Trump posted on his Truth Social platform. It was the first time in three years that the leaders of Russia and America talked. – New York Sun
Syria
Syria’s new rulers are combing through the billion-dollar corporate empires of ousted president Bashar al-Assad’s allies, and have held talks with some of these tycoons, in what they say is a campaign to root out corruption and illegal activity. – Reuters
Syria’s foreign minister will attend an international conference in Paris on Thursday as regional and Western powers seek to shield the country during its fragile transition amid ongoing instability across the region. – Reuters
Russia’s President Vladimir Putin held a phone call with Syria’s interim leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, the Kremlin said on Wednesday, the first direct communication between the two since Sharaa’s forces overthrew Moscow’s ally Bashar al-Assad in December. – Reuters
Syria’s foreign minister said on Wednesday that his country had received positive messages but wanted further reassurance from Russia and Iran, main allies of former leader Bashar al-Assad now seeking to retain influence after his overthrow. – Reuters
Aaron Y. Zelin writes: From a U.S. policy perspective, Syria’s relative stability thus far is a success. However, a great deal more must be done—especially in the transition’s next phase—regarding the national dialogue, the constitution, and measures to include elements who are not HTS loyalists or allies […]Without continued engagement, a vacuum could emerge in Syria, and adversaries such as Russia could quickly exploit it. At the very least, Washington should confer with its partners to make sure their policies align, ensuring that the transition continues to head in the right direction even if it moves slowly. – Washington Institute
Turkey
Turkey’s president, accompanied by a high-level delegation, arrived in Pakistan’s capital late Wednesday night on a two-day visit to discuss how to boost trade and economic ties between the nations, officials said. – Associated Press
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday demanded Israel pay reparations “for the harm it inflicted through its aggressive actions in Gaza” and urged the immediate establishment of a Palestinian state. – Algemeiner
Dr. George N. Tzogopoulos writes: Both countries are carefully monitoring Turkey’s tactics in the Eastern Mediterranean, and its growing footprint in Syria requires meticulous analysis at the bilateral level. In January 2025, the Nagel Committee warned about Ankara’s ambitions — a central message that cannot be overlooked. The beginning of Donald Trump’s second administration also reignites optimism in an active American involvement in the regional process after a four-year hiatus. Jerusalem and Athens have new opportunities ahead. – Algemeiner
Lebanon
Israel has requested to keep its troops in five posts in southern Lebanon until February 28, a Lebanese official and foreign diplomat told Reuters on Wednesday. – Reuters
Israel’s public broadcaster said on Wednesday the U.S. had authorised a “long term” Israeli troop presence in southern Lebanon, after sources told Reuters Israel had sought an extension to a Feb. 18 deadline to withdraw its forces. – Reuters
Lebanon has rejected a request from Israel for Israeli troops to stay in the Arab country beyond a withdrawal deadline set as part of a ceasefire agreement, according to a Lebanese media outlet. – Bloomberg
Hanin Ghaddar writes: In the longer term, the Shia community will be looking for an alternative to Hezbollah if the group is unable to provide them with ample reconstruction benefits and decent postwar compensation. This alternative should take the form of new representation in the next parliament. Hence, in addition to further weakening the Hezbollah camp, Beirut’s foreign partners should help empower and protect the Shia opposition as it plans its campaigns against Hezbollah in the next elections. – Washington Institute
Gulf States
Chinese internet company Baidu is in talks with authorities in the United Arab Emirates to bring its driverless ride-hailing service to the Middle Eastern country, people familiar with the matter said. – Wall Street Journal
The United Arab Emirates’ ambassador to the United States, Yousef Al Otaiba, said on Wednesday that the U.S. approach to Gaza was “difficult”. – Reuters
United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan told U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Wednesday that peace efforts in the region should be on the basis of a two-state solution for the Israel-Palestinian conflict, state news agency WAM reported. – Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump is scheduled to attend a meeting of global financiers and tech executives hosted by Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund in Miami later in February, according to several people with knowledge of the event. – Reuters
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Russia’s sovereign wealth fund chief Kirill Dmitriev were involved in negotiations for the release of U.S. teacher Marc Fogel from a Russian prison, a source close to the negotiations between Russia and the United States told Reuters on condition of anonymity. – Reuters
Middle East & North Africa
Egypt has launched a diplomatic blitz to corral support for an Arab-led and funded initiative to rebuild the Gaza Strip, setting aside old political concerns in hopes of boxing out a Trump plan that is wildly unpopular across the Arab world. – Wall Street Journal
Jordan’s King Abdullah discussed on Wednesday “dangerous developments” in Gaza and the West Bank during a phone call with French President Emmanuel Macron, according to a post on X by the Jordanian royal court. – Reuters
Egypt and Qatar are intensifying efforts to save the Gaza ceasefire deal, state-affiliated Egypt’s Al Qahera news TV reported on Wednesday, citing an Egyptian source. – Reuters
A Libyan state minister survived an assassination attempt when gunmen opened fire on his car in the capital Tripoli on Wednesday, a government statement said. – Reuters
The US State Department on Wednesday issued an official statement about Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s visit to the Middle East, which will include a stop in Israel. – Arutz Sheva
Eric R. Mandel writes: With so much on their plate, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and national security advisor Mike Waltz should expand their team’s bandwidth and to deal with Turkey and Syria now rather than later. If they don’t, the administration will be dealing on less advantageous terms in the next 24 months with an expansionist Turkey and an Islamist Syria, when there will be little to dissuade Erdogan from challenging the Israelis, our most essential ally in the region. – The Hill
Korean Peninsula
North Korea is restoring its Cold War-era comradeship with Russia by looking after Russian soldiers wounded in the war against Ukraine, as well as hosting Russian children who lost parents in the fighting, according to Moscow’s ambassador to Pyongyang. – New York Times
South Korea’s transport ministry on Thursday announced measures to strengthen aviation safety rules, following a fire on an Air Busan plane last month, which will include limiting the number and type of portable batteries allowed on flights. – Reuters
North Korea is dismantling a facility at its Mount Kumgang resort used for hosting meetings between families separated after the Korean War, South Korea said on Thursday, in the latest sign of strained tensions between the two Koreas. – Reuters
South Korean Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul and U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will hold their first meeting in the German city of Munich later this week, Seoul’s foreign ministry said on Thursday. – Reuters
Imran Khalid writes: The possibility of North Korea’s denuclearization under Trump’s second term remains uncertain. While Trump’s peculiar approach to diplomacy offers a glimmer of hope, the complex geopolitical landscape and North Korea’s strategic provocations present significant challenges. The international community must manage these dynamics carefully to achieve lasting peace and stability on the Korean peninsula. – The Hill
Robert R. King writes: Kim Jong-un is currently focused on his relationship with Russia. Over 10,000 North Korean troops are supporting Russia in its war against Ukraine, and North Korean factories are apparently producing weapons and ammunition for the Russians to use. In recognition of North Korea’s aid, Russia vetoed efforts by the UN Security Council to extend sanctions against North Korea for its nuclear weapons program. Indications are that North Korea is receiving significant Russian aid in gratitude for its military assistance. At present, North Korea has very limited interest in improved relations with the United States. Trump was deeply embarrassed by the dramatic failure of the Hanoi summit. If there is to be another meeting with Kim, Trump will have to be convinced that there will be no repeat of the Hanoi failure. – Center for Strategic and International Studies
China
As President Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin signal they are prepared to start negotiations to end the war in Ukraine, China is pushing to play a role. – Wall Street Journal
Over the last 10 days or so, President Trump has sent conflicting messages about talking to China’s top leader, Xi Jinping. Mr. Trump said on Feb. 3 that they would have a call within “24 hours,” then reversed himself, saying he was in “no rush” to talk. More recently, when asked whether the two had spoken since he took office, Mr. Trump said that they had. – New York Times
China is helping Russia’s military drone production by becoming a hub for the smuggling of critical Western components for Moscow’s armed forces, Estonia’s foreign intelligence said in its annual national security report published on Wednesday. – Reuters
China’s power industry began construction on nearly 100 gigawatts of new coal plant capacity last year, the most in nearly a decade, a report from two clean-energy groups said Thursday. – Associated Press
Dominic Green writes: Either way, any deal of this sort would pose great strategic threats to the U.S. Mauritius is friendly with China. Adam Peters, a commander of the Diego Garcia air base from 2001-03, warned on Feb. 6 that Mauritian control of the outer Chagos Islands could lead China to “start redeveloping them and installing all sorts of spying equipment” and even weapons that “could shoot down aircraft using the air base” on Diego Garcia. – Wall Street Journal
Grant Newsham writes: Yes, the Trump administration does have to rebuild the military, tighten the flow of capital and technology to the PRC, and end suicidal dependence on Chinese manufacturing and supply chains. Even to the point of decoupling. But it should also do the one that “makes things personal” for Mr. Xi and the CCP leadership. Carry out Public Law 223-117, Section 6501 — and expose it to high heaven — and keep exposing it. It’s long overdue. – New York Sun
South Asia
Of all the countries that put tariffs on U.S. products, President Trump says India is king. Ahead of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s trip to Washington this week, New Delhi has been trying to lose that crown. – Wall Street Journal
As he prepared to go to Washington this week, India’s prime minister, Narendra Modi, spoke of building on the warm relations he shared with President Trump during his first term in the White House. – New York Times
The economic relationship between India and the United States is widely seen as good for both sides. Two-way trade is growing, and, alone among Asian countries, India routinely trades more with the United States than it does with China, its neighbor and rival. – New York Times
The brutal crackdown on student protesters last year by Bangladesh’s former prime minister, Sheikh Hasina, killed as many as 1,400 people, a toll much higher than previously estimated, according to a U.N. report issued on Wednesday. – New York Times
An explosion occurred near government offices in Kabul on Tuesday, Abdul Matin Qani, spokesperson for the Ministry of Interior, said. – Reuters
India’s state fighter jet maker Hindustan Aeronautics said it understood why India’s air force was impatient over delays in delivering warplanes and would start rolling them out once General Electric supplied engines for them. – Reuters
India, the No. 2 importer of crude from Russia, wants to buy Russian oil only if it is supplied by companies and ships that have not been sanctioned by the United States, the country’s oil secretary said. – Reuters
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will come bearing gifts when he meets Donald Trump on Thursday, hoping concessions on tariffs, fresh business deals and the prospect of cooperation on China will win the U.S. president’s favor. – Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump and visiting Prime Minister Narendra Modi will hold a press conference on Thursday when they meet in Washington, the White House said, a rare press briefing by the Indian leader. – Reuters
More than 40% of Indians polled in a survey by India Today magazine think U.S. President Donald Trump’s second term will be favourable to their country, in findings published a day before Trump meets Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Washington. – Reuters
India’s Adani Green Energy said it will withdraw from two proposed wind power projects in Sri Lanka, according to a letter sent by the company to a Sri Lankan government agency. – Reuters
When Prime Minister Narendra Modi last met President Donald Trump five years ago, the US leader stood before a crowd of 100,000 cheering Indians in Modi’s home state of Gujarat and declared: “America will always be faithful and loyal friends to the Indian people.” – Bloomberg
Indian firm Data Patterns has unveiled its HAWK I 2700 multifunction fire control and tracking radar at the Aero India 2025 show in Bangalore. – Janes
India’s Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) unveiled a prototype of a new 155 mm guided projectile for Bharat Forge Limited’s (BFL’s) 155 mm/52 calibre Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) at the Aero India 2025 show in Bangalore. – Janes
Asia
The Trump administration’s refugee suspension and foreign aid freeze are upending efforts to address one of the world’s most dire humanitarian crises. Not too long ago, Myanmar was an icon of democratic reform lauded by the West. Today, four years after the military toppled an elected government, it is an international pariah largely unchecked as it bombs its own civilians. – New York TImes
Australia has raised concerns with China over what it said was “unsafe and unprofessional” actions by a Chinese fighter jet towards an Australian maritime patrol in the South China Sea on Tuesday. – Reuters
India expects to sell short-range missiles to the Philippines this year in a deal worth more than $200 million, Indian sources told Reuters, for New Delhi’s second major defence export contract with Manila as tension grows with China. – Reuters
Australia’s trade minister Don Farrell said on Thursday the country had increased aluminium supply to the U.S. with Washington’s approval, addressing a hurdle to Canberra’s request for an exemption from U.S. tariffs on aluminium and steel. – Reuters
A military court in Uzbekistan sentenced 10 defendants to lengthy prison terms for the attempted murder of the former presidential press secretary, the country’s supreme court press service said on Wednesday. – Reuters
Kazakhstani lawmakers on Wednesday proposed that the country adopt a law restricting “foreign agents”, an apparent move to emulate Russia in adopting a measure used to clamp down on government critics. – Reuters
Tokyo-based moon exploration company ispace is heartened by signs the United States and Japan will remain on course for joint lunar missions, its CEO said on Wednesday, amid growing uncertainties in U.S. space policies under Trump 2.0. – Reuters
A Malaysian court has ordered the government and a political analyst, Abdul Razak Baginda, to pay a total of more than 9 million ringgit ($2 million) to the family of murdered Mongolian Altantuya Shaariibuu, media said on Wednesday. – Reuters
The organisers of the Miss Pacific Islands Pageant on Thursday called for unity after judges were stopped from leaving the Solomon Islands amid claims of fraudulent activities after Miss Samoa won the contest for the second year in a row. – Reuters
Cook Islands’ Prime Minister Mark Brown said on Thursday he had held discussions with institutions on marine science, climate resilience and economic cooperation so far during a trip to China that has raised national security concerns in New Zealand. – Reuters
Supporters and opponents of Myanmar’s military government are engaged in a bloody civil war, but a celebration Wednesday feted something almost all find worthy: the use of thanakha, a yellowish-white paste made from ground tree bark as a traditional natural cosmetic. – Associated Press
A People’s Liberation Army (PLAN) surface action group and an amphibious task group made separate transits through the Miyako Strait to enter the Philippine Sea Tuesday, the Japan Joint Staff Office (JSO) said Wednesday. – USNI News
Europe
European leaders are more serious than at any time since the Cold War about increasing how much of their national budgets they devote to their militaries. Russia’s war in Ukraine and threats toward broader Europe have fueled that push. – Washington Post
Belarus, Russia’s closest ally, has released an American prisoner and two others from jail, an exiled opposition group said on Wednesday, in the latest sign that the autocratic Belarusian president, Aleksandr G. Lukashenko, was looking for ways to improve frozen relations with the West. – New York Times
Ukraine could still become a NATO member in the future if it fulfils all conditions, Swedish Defence Minister Pal Jonson said on Thursday. – Reuters
Thousands of Belgians took to the streets on Thursday in protest over the new government’s planned pension reforms in the first day of a multi-day strike that halted all air traffic in the country. – Reuters
Centrist Liberal Party leader Ilie Bolojan became Romania’s interim president on Wednesday, facing the uphill challenge of steering the country through a repeat presidential election in May with the far right on the rise. – Reuters
Talks to form Austria’s first coalition government led by the far-right Freedom Party (FPO) collapsed on Wednesday, days after the FPO’s negotiations with the conservative People’s Party (OVP) ground to a halt, with each side blaming the other. – Reuters
Prime Minister Viktor Orban hailed the leader of Germany’s far-right Alternative for Germany (AfD) party as an ally who could help “lift the boot” of Brussels from Hungary’s chest, welcoming her less than two weeks before a German election. – Reuters
Britain suffered its second worst year for antisemitism in 2024 with more than 3,500 incidents being recorded, reflecting sustained levels of hatred towards Jews, the Jewish body which advises communities on security said on Wednesday. – Reuters
The Swiss government on Wednesday proposed relaxing restrictions on arms exports to try to bolster its domestic industry and security policy, a sensitive move for the neutral country which has blocked the re-export of its weapons and ammunition to Ukraine. – Reuters
European powers, including Britain, France and Germany, said on Wednesday they had to be part of any future negotiations on the fate of Ukraine, underscoring that only a fair accord with security guarantees would ensure lasting peace. – Reuters
The European Union hopes to avert a damaging trade war with the U.S. over impending metals tariffs by prioritising negotiations rather than retaliatory countermeasures, EU officials signalled on Wednesday. – Reuters
Three detainees have been released from detention in Belarus, including one American, the White House said on Wednesday, as U.S. President Donald Trump looks to forge a deal to end the war in Ukraine with Minsk’s ally, Russia. – Reuters
The Netherlands should brace for more Chinese espionage in several key sectors, including semiconductors, leading up to the NATO summit in the Hague in June, Foreign Affairs Minister Caspar Veldkamp said. – Bloomberg
French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou survived another no-confidence vote Wednesday, clearing a key political hurdle toward implementing a delayed 2025 budget. – Bloomberg
The UK Ministry of Defence (MoD) has signed a GBP127 million (USD157.3 million) agreement with Airbus Defence and Space for the design and build of the Oberon satellite system, expected to launch in 2027, according to a 10 February MoD press release. – Janes
Africa
African leaders meeting in Ethiopia this weekend are to launch a new push for slavery and colonial reparations, but can expect to be stonewalled by former colonial powers, most of which have ruled out making amends for historical wrongs. – Reuters
An agreement signed years ago for the creation of a Russian naval base in Sudan remains on the table following talks in Moscow, Sudanese Foreign Minister Ali Yusef Sharif said in an interview with Russia Today on Wednesday. – Reuters
A prominent opposition figure in Uganda who is on trial in a military tribunal has begun a hunger strike, his wife said, two weeks after the country’s top court banned courts-martial from trying civilians. – Reuters
World Health Organization Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said he was releasing an additional $2 million to support Uganda’s response to its Ebola outbreak, which has killed one person and infected at least eight others. – Reuters
Representatives of Congo’s powerful Catholic church met on Wednesday with a rebel leader whose Rwandan-backed M23 forces last month seized Goma, the biggest city in the country’s east, and have continued advancing south. – Reuters
Senegal and France will set up a joint commission to organize the departure of French troops from Senegal and the restitution of French military bases by the end of 2025, the foreign ministers of both countries said in a joint statement on Wednesday. – Reuters
Ghana’s President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday ordered an investigation into the operations of the National Service Authority under the former government following the discovery of more than 81,000 suspected ghost names on its payroll. – Reuters
Barrick Gold will resume operations at its shuttered Loulo-Gounkoto mine in Mali once authorities in the country allow it to resume gold shipments, CEO Mark Bristow told Reuters on Wednesday. – Reuters
Liberian President Joseph Boakai has suspended more than 400 top officials in his administration for failing to declare their assets to the anti-corruption agency. – Bloomberg
The Americas
After finding refuge and building power in Venezuela, a decades-old rebel group has waged the worst violence in Colombia in a generation, setting off troubling regional tensions. – New York Times
The Trump administration plans to designate more than a half-dozen criminal groups with roots in Latin America as foreign terrorist organizations, said five U.S. officials with knowledge of the imminent action. – New York Times
El Salvador’s Congress voted on Wednesday to allow minors convicted of crimes linked to organized crime to be housed in the same prisons as adults, albeit in separate areas. – Reuters
China’s Ganfeng Lithium mining company has begun producing lithium at its Mariana project in northern Argentina, it said on Wednesday, kicking off one of several of its new lithium projects under way in the South American country. – Reuters
Panama has made progress stripping vessels from its registry that do not meet its flag’s standards, the Central American nation’s Maritime Authority said on Wednesday, responding to U.S. criticism that it allowed sanctioned countries to move ships with the Panamanian flag. – Reuters
Brazil’s Vice President Geraldo Alckmin on Wednesday called for “caution” and said the South American country would seek dialogue with the United States after President Donald Trump’s decision to impose a 25% tariff on steel and aluminum imports. – Reuters
North America
When President Trump called her last week, President Claudia Sheinbaum was prepared to speak with a U.S. leader who wouldn’t yield on tariffs. Instead, she negotiated a deal that world leaders are studying for their own trade talks with the U.S. – Wall Street Journal
Canada, fulfilling a promise made to U.S. President Donald Trump, on Tuesday appointed a senior intelligence official to the new post of fentanyl czar, saying he would coordinate the fight against smuggling of the drug. – Reuters
Defense Minister Bill Blair said on Wednesday that while President Donald Trump’s 51st state threats are “offensive,” he does not believe Canada is “sincerely threatened.” – Politico
United States
Just minutes before President Trump escaped an assassin’s bullet at a campaign rally in Butler, Pa., he held a brief backstage meeting with a 95-year-old local woman whose son, Marc Fogel, had spent three years in a Russian jail. – Wall Street Journal
U.S. President Donald Trump said he would impose reciprocal tariffs as soon as Wednesday evening on every country that charges duties on U.S. imports, in a move that ratchets up fears of a widening global trade war and threatens to accelerate U.S. inflation. – Reuters
U.S. President Donald Trump on Wednesday issued an executive order directing Secretary of State Marco Rubio to revamp the foreign service to ensure “faithful and effective implementation” of Trump’s foreign policy agenda. – Reuters
The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit on Wednesday seeking access to dozens of migrants flown to a U.S. naval base in Guantanamo Bay, Cuba, saying they were being denied the right to an attorney. – Reuters
The White House Correspondents’ Association protested a decision by the White House on Tuesday to bar an Associated Press reporter from an event with President Donald Trump over the news agency’s decision to continue referring to the Gulf of Mexico. – Reuters
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to Europe and the Middle East from February 13 to 18, the State Department said on Wednesday. – Reuters
About 75,000 U.S. federal workers accepted the deferred buyout program of President Donald Trump’s administration, a spokesperson for the U.S. Office of Personnel Management said late on Wednesday. – Reuters
A former aide to two New York governors and her husband are facing additional charges in a case accusing her of acting as an agent of the Chinese government. – Associated Press
Hours after her confirmation by the Senate as the new Director of National Intelligence, Tulsi Gabbard said trust in the US intelligence community was at “an all-time low” and pledged to end what she called “weaponization and politicization.” – Bloomberg
On Tuesday, Virginia Gov. Glenn Youngkin signed an executive order banning the use of DeepSeek, the Chinese-owned artificial intelligence application, on state government-owned devices and state-run networks. The move makes Virginia the third state to take such action against, following Texas and New York. – Statescoop
A Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) employee was accidentally given the ability to edit a sensitive Treasury payment database, but he never did so and the mistake was quickly corrected. – The Record
Cybersecurity
The rise of DeepSeek’s artificial intelligence (AI) models is seen providing some Chinese chipmakers such as Huawei a better chance to compete in the domestic market against more powerful U.S. processors. – Reuters
Russian-linked online disinformation networks are spreading faked spy agency warnings of terrorist attacks in Germany ahead of this month’s election in an apparent attempt to sow fear and depress voter turnout, cybersecurity experts say. – Reuters
The Italian government denied Wednesday that it had spied on journalists and migrant activists using spyware but said it would cooperate with an investigation into “vulnerabilities” after at least seven Italian cellphones were apparently hacked with military-grade surveillance technology. – Associated Press
Microsoft’s threat intelligence team published an examination on Wednesday of the “BadPilot campaign” — an effort by a Russian group known as Sandworm, or Seashell Blizzard, to breach sectors like energy, including oil and gas, telecommunications, shipping, arms manufacturing, and the government. – The Record
Cybercrime continues to expand and evolve and has become a national security-level threat that is enabling more attacks by state-backed groups, Google warned in a new report. – The Record
Klon Kitchen writes: For too long, Washington has been hesitant to challenge European regulatory overreach in the tech sector. That must change. The AI era is not one in which the US can afford to be reactive. We must be clear-eyed about the economic and security risks of an overly cautious, bureaucratic approach to AI governance. The administration’s agenda offers a course correction—one that prioritizes American innovation, strengthens our competitive edge, and ensures that AI remains a force for growth and strategic advantage. It’s time for the United States to lead, not just for our own sake, but for the future of the free world’s technological leadership. – American Enterprise Institute
Defense
RTX Corp. is still struggling to produce the US Navy’s top air-defense missile, needed to counter a Chinese weapon known as its “aircraft carrier killer,” the Pentagon’s contract management agency says. – Bloomberg
The Space Development Agency is launching a study to look at how its proliferated satellite constellation could support the Trump administration’s proposal for a homeland missile defense shield. – Defense News
Although the Space Force currently lacks a Senate-confirmed acquisition executive, the service’s interim procurement lead, Maj. Gen. Stephen Purdy, said this week he is making a concerted push to follow through on reform efforts championed by his former boss — and in many cases, pursue them even more intently. – Defense News
Seth Cropsey writes: If “peace through strength” is to have teeth, the Trump administration must provide budget requests in line with U.S. strategic needs. That means a sustained top-line defense spending increase of at least 20%, along with a larger shipbuilding account. But if the Pentagon adheres to its traditionally balanced budgetary split among the Navy, Air Force and Army, much of these resources won’t translate into relevant long-term combat capacity. The Pentagon’s new civilian team needs to shift funding from American ground forces to the Navy and Air Force. That will ensure the elements of military power that take the longest to expand have the resources to defend U.S. interests at their most critical hinges. – Wall Street Journal