Washington and Tehran are set to meet in Muscat for the first formal negotiations since last year’s strikes on Iranian targets, with Middle Eastern intermediaries seeing a narrow opening to address the nuclear file. Expectations are low for progress on broader U.S. demands, as Iran faces domestic unrest and a tightening security crackdown at home.
Source: New York Times
Arms control vacuum widens as New START expires
The last major U.S.-Russia nuclear arms control treaty has lapsed, ending an era of verifiable limits just as Washington, Moscow and Beijing accelerate weapons modernization. The breakdown heightens risks of miscalculation and a renewed arms race, while complicating parallel efforts to stabilize U.S.-Russia military relations.
Source: New York Times
Argentina and U.S. seal sweeping trade deal, signaling a deeper strategic alignment
Buenos Aires and Washington signed a tariff-slashing agreement that expands quotas on key goods, including Argentine beef, consolidating a fast-warming bilateral relationship. In parallel, the two governments have moved to coordinate on critical minerals and are planning a high-profile special forces exercise—steps that tie economics to security in the Western Hemisphere.
Source: New York Times
Starlink denies frontline access to Russian troops at Ukraine’s request
Russian forces reported widespread connectivity outages after the satellite internet provider curtailed service, days after Elon Musk said Starlink had cut off Russian military use. The move underscores how commercial space infrastructure has become a decisive variable in modern warfare—and a growing lever of statecraft.
Source: New York Times
Europe targets Russia’s ‘shadow fleet,’ squeezing war financing
New European measures aimed at curbing Moscow’s opaque oil shipping network threaten a critical revenue stream sustaining the war effort. Tighter enforcement raises insurance, shipping, and compliance risks for vessels moving Russian crude, potentially amplifying the economic pressure already building on the Kremlin.
Source: Washington Post
Mass killings in northwest Nigeria spotlight surging Islamic State threat
More than 160 people were slain in one of the country’s deadliest recent attacks as Islamic State-linked fighters expand operations despite U.S. airstrikes in December. The violence underscores mounting regional instability, stretching Abuja’s security forces and elevating the risk of cross-border spillovers.
Source: Washington Post
High-profile shooting of Russian general deepens sense of insecurity in Moscow
A senior military officer was shot in the capital in an attack echoing earlier assassination attempts on top brass, highlighting vulnerabilities far from the front. The incident adds to pressure on Russia’s security services and could spur harsher internal controls amid ongoing war-related strains.
Source: New York Times
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U.S., Russia to resume high-level military talks