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1- NATO’s credibility as a unified force under U.S. leadership has taken a hit under Trump
European allies and Canada are pouring billions of dollars into helping Ukraine, and they
have pledged to massively boost their budgets to defend their territories.
But despite those efforts, NATO’s credibility as a unified force under U.S. leadership has
taken a huge hit over the past year as trust within the 32-nation military organization
dissolved.
https://www.pbs.org/newshour/world/natos-credibility-as-a-unified-force-under-u-s[1]
leadership-has-taken-a-hit-under-trump
2- A Kremlin official confirms that U.S.-brokered Russia-Ukraine talks are resuming this week
A new round of U.S.-brokered talks on ending Russia’s war on Ukraine is set to go ahead this
week after a brief postponement, a senior Kremlin official said Monday, with negotiations
taking place against a backdrop of continued front-line fighting and deadly long-range
attacks on rear areas.
The trilateral talks will take place on Wednesday and Thursday in Abu Dhabi, where a
previous meeting was held last month, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov confirmed.
https://www.durangoherald.com/articles/a-kremlin-official-confirms-that-u-s-brokered[1]
russia-ukraine-talks-are-resuming-this-week/
3– Trump tries gunboat diplomacy after wavering on Iran strikes
While U.S. officials say the renewed effort is sincere, Trump has veered away from diplomacy and into war once before. The fact is that Trump heads into the talks planned for Friday with significant leverage: A massive military buildup in the Gulf that presents a credible military threat, and an Iranian regime left weaker and more isolated by massive protests.
https://www.axios.com/2026/02/03/trump-iran-nuclear-talks-military-strikes
4- US hosts countries for talks to weaken China’s grip on critical minerals
Description: The United States will host more than 50 countries on Wednesday for talks aimed at boosting their access to critical minerals, in a bid to loosen China’s grip over vital industrial inputs that has allowed it to control global supply chains.
The gathering comes after President Donald Trump on Monday launched a strategic stockpile of critical minerals, called Project Vault, backed by $10 billion in seed funding from the U.S. Export-Import Bank and $2 billion in private funding.
5- Dow Jones Top Markets Headlines at 3 AM ET: Threat of New AI Tools Wipes $300 Billion Off Software and Data Stocks | Stephen …
Stocks broadly sank on Tuesday as investors moved to dump shares of software companies amid fears that artificial intelligence tools could eat into those companies’ businesses.
On the S&P 500, the technology sector was by far the worst performer, leading the index to plunge 1.5%. The Nasdaq Composite, which contains more technology companies, plunged nearly 2.2%, as of 2:55 p.m. ET.
6- US must be prudent when supplying arms to Taiwan, Xi tells Trump
China’s leader Xi Jinping has called Taiwan “the most important issue” in China-US relations during a phone call with US President Donald Trump.
https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/c62wpjd3j1zo
7- Ukraine war latest: US and Russia ‘closing on nuclear treaty deal’
As trilateral peace talks aimed at resolving the war in Ukraine ended after a second day in Abu Dhabi, it is reported that the US and Russia are on the brink of extending a major nuclear treaty. Follow the latest below – and watch Michael Clarke answering your Ukraine questions.
https://news.sky.com/story/ukraine-war-latest-putin-moscow-kyiv-trump-zelenskyy-live-12541713
8- Taiwan to seek extension of arms deals with US amid budget stand-off
Description: Taiwan is asking the United States to extend deadlines for a set of major arms purchases as its parliament stalls approval of a defense budget. The U.S. has already drafted weapons deals that could be jeopardized if the timing isn’t extended. This reflects ongoing U.S. support for Taiwan’s defense posture amid tensions with China.
🔗 https://www.reuters.com/world/china/taiwan-seek-extension-arms-deals-with-us-amid-budget-stand-off-2026-02-06/
9- Iran FM looks to more nuclear talks, but warns US
According to excerpts published on his official Telegram channel during an interview with the Al Jazeera network, Araghchi said that Iran’s missile programme was “never negotiable” in Friday’s talks in Oman.
He warned that Tehran would target US bases in the region if the US attacked Iranian territory.
https://www.france24.com/en/live-news/20260207-iran-fm-looks-to-more-nuclear-talks-but-warns-us
10- US in talks with New Zealand over critical minerals project
A top US official has told 1News that talks with our Government over critical minerals include ‘mineral extraction’ in New Zealand.
It comes just after the US hosted a high-level meeting in Washington DC, in which 55 delegations – including from New Zealand – met to discuss creating a trade bloc to counter China’s dominance over the critical minerals industry.
https://www.1news.co.nz/2026/02/07/us-discussing-critical-mineral-extraction-on-new-zealand-soil/