This week, the U.S. and Iran held talks in Oman over Iran’s nuclear program amid rising tensions following U.S. forces shooting down an Iranian reconnaissance drone in the Arabian Sea. In the U.S., the federal government reopened after a partial shutdown following commitments by the Trump administration to reduce the number of federal law enforcement officers in Minnesota. In the Indo-Pacific, the U.S. hailed a trade agreement with India following New Delhi’s reported commitment to halt Russian oil purchases, while Secretary of State Marco Rubio hosted foreign leaders for a new trading block for critical minerals. Russia, Ukraine, and the U.S. held trilateral negotiations in Abu Dhabi while Russia resumed strikes against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure following a one-week stop in those bombings.
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Photo: Japan’s Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi, leader of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), speaks during a press conference at the LDP headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, on February 9, 2026. (Photo by Franck Robichon / Pool / EPA/Anadolu via Getty Images)
This week, the United States and Israel launched air- and naval-based attacks against Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iran retaliated with strikes against neighboring Gulf states and by closing the Strait of Hormuz. Meanwhile,...
This week, tensions between Iran and the U.S. continued to rise despite ongoing negotiations, with Iran threatening repercussions if the U.S. were to attack and Israel threatening Lebanon with strikes against civilian infrastructure if...
This week, the U.S. continued its buildup of naval and air forces near Iran for a potential military operation, while...
This week, the U.S. and Iran held talks in Oman over Iran’s nuclear program amid rising tensions following U.S. forces shooting down an Iranian reconnaissance...
