The U.S. ambassador to Poland cut off contact with parliament speaker Wlodzimierz Czarzasty after he criticised Donald Trump and rejected backing him for a 2026 Nobel Peace Prize nomination.

Czarzasty called Trump’s policies destabilising, prompting Ambassador Tom Rose to say Washington would have no further dealings with him.

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent:

We have seen the Iranian leadership wiring money out of the country like crazy.

The rats are leaving the ship.

That is a good sign that they know the end may be near.

Trump:

Rather than extend “NEW START” (A badly negotiated deal by the United States that, aside from everything else, is being grossly violated), we should have our Nuclear Experts work on a new, improved, and modernized Treaty that can last long into the future.

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White House:

Cuba should be wise in their statements directed towards Trump.

Cuba's President Miguel Díaz-Canel:

What right does any nation have to prevent fuel from reaching another country? This is not only an action against Cuba and the Cuban people.

How many countries are being prevented from maintaining normal trade relations with Cuba because of this? How many companies and institutions are being harmed?

Does this not violate international law and the Charter of the United Nations? Does this not contradict the principles of free trade that capitalism and imperialism claim to defend?

And beyond that, who do they think they are to impose this on us? Is there any trace of humanism, decency, sensitivity, or dignity in acting this way?

U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent on Iran:

We created a dollar shortage in the country. It came to a swift conclusion.

I would say the culmination came in December, when one of the largest banks in Iran went under after a bank run. The central bank had to print money.

The Iranian currency went into free fall, inflation exploded, and as a result, we’ve seen the Iranian people out on the streets.

Hegseth:

America was founded as a Christian nation. It remains a Christian nation in our DNA, if we can keep it.

And as public officials, we have a sacred duty, 250 years on, to glorify Him.

Cuba's President Díaz-Canel gets emotional:

Cuba is not a terrorist country, nor is it a threat to the security of the United States.

Cuba has never carried out, nor proposed, nor organized any aggressive action that puts at risk the territorial integrity, the security, or the stability of the government of the United States.

We do not protect terrorists, and there are no military forces in Cuba from other nations or from other groups.

In Cuba, there is indeed a military base—an illegal military base—and it is an illegal United States military base on Cuban soil, in the province of Guantánamo, against the will of the Cuban people.

Canada's Carney:

90% of Canada’s finished vehicles and 60% of our auto parts are exported to the United States.

But that trade relationship, which once was a great strength, has now become a serious vulnerability.

Canada's Carney:

Canadians who purchase or lease a battery-electric or fuel-cell electric vehicle will receive up to $5,000, and up to $2,500 for plug-in hybrids priced up to $50,000.

To support the Canadian auto industry, this $50,000 cap will not apply to Canadian-made EVs or Canadian-made plug-in hybrids.

And these incentives will only apply to vehicles produced in countries with which Canada has a free trade agreement.

Cuba's President Miguel Díaz-Canel:

There are many people and entities who reject the pressures and the blackmail, oppose the economic blockade against Cuba, and are willing to take risks in order to work with Cuba.

John Bolton on upcoming U.S-Iran negotiations:

These meetings are a waste of oxygen.

There is simply no room for agreement between Iran and the United States on this.

I don’t know what Trump is going to do, but I don’t think anything is going to come out of these negotiations—whether they’re held in Oman, held in Türkiye, or held on the moon.

It’s just a waste of time.

Canada's Carney:

Türkiye is a vital partner in NATO. There is tremendous opportunity. We have a series of opportunities to deepen our commercial relationship with Türkiye.

I’ve begun those conversations with President Erdogan in New York, and we intend to follow up.

That can include aspects of defense cooperation and nuclear cooperation, but it spreads much more broadly.

Türkiye is one of the global leaders in manufacturing, including advanced manufacturing, and there are areas where we can partner without question.

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BIG: The U.S. has issued a fresh “Leave Iran now” alert, urging Americans to depart immediately.

Citizens are advised to leave without relying on U.S. assistance, preferably by land via Türkiye or Armenia, or shelter in place if unable to depart.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Araghchi:

Iran enters diplomacy with open eyes and a steady memory of the past year.

We engage in good faith and stand firm on our rights.

Commitments need to be honored. Equal standing, mutual respect and mutual interest are not rhetoric—they are a must and the pillars of a durable agreement.

The US military struck an alleged drug-trafficking boat in the eastern Pacific on Feb. 5, killing two people, according to US Southern Command.

The U.S. and Iran will hold direct talks in Oman, their first since the June 2025 war today, in a last-ditch effort to avoid renewed conflict.

Washington demands Iran end its nuclear program, curb missiles, and drop regional proxies, while Iran may accept limited uranium enrichment (~3%) and a long-term nuclear freeze in exchange for sanctions relief.

Prospects beyond the nuclear issue are bleak, missiles are non-negotiable for Tehran, and the most likely outcome is a fragile statement to keep talks going and avert military escalation.

Source: NYT

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Peter Thiel has warned in recent talks that the world is entering an apocalyptic “end of modernity,” arguing that fear-driven politics are halting progress and paving the way for authoritarian control.

He frames this through Christian theology, saying the Antichrist is not a reckless technologist but a “Luddite” who uses existential fears to stop innovation.

Thiel claims apocalypse narratives around climate change, AI, or nuclear war are being weaponized to justify control, leading to “a stagnant, totalitarian future in the name of safety.”

He cited Greta Thunberg as a symbolic example, calling her a **“type”

Türkiye’s National Intelligence Agency (MİT) detained two suspects in Istanbul for alleged espionage on behalf of Israel’s Mossad.

Operation “MONITUM” was carried out with prosecutors and counter-terror police.

Suspects: Mehmet Budak Derya (engineer/trader, accused of long-term Mossad contact via trade activities) and Veysel Kerimoğlu (accomplice).

Allegations include collecting and transmitting intelligence, tracking Palestinian individuals, and using business cover.

Arrests followed extended surveillance, with intervention in January 2026.

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Trump posts on Truth Social.

French Chief of the Defence Staff Fabien Mandon:

The Baltic can now be closed whenever we decide — and that is bad news for Russia.