🇷🇺🇺🇦 The Russian MoD attempts to shut down all communication in Ukraine A week ago, Musk took a side trying to cut Russian troops from operating starlink. In exchange, every electrical grid including those needed for starlink ground receivers in Ukraine have been attacked. The country has reported nation wide blackouts, internet is sharply down, starlink systems can only operate 4-6hrs a day before they go out. The heating is also a problem for Ukrainian troops on the front.

🇮🇱🇱🇧☪️ IDF ground incursion took place against the town of Al-Habbariyeh, southern Lebanon. An official of the Muslim Brotherhood-linked Islamic Group was abducted by the IDF in the city center.

🇹🇼🇺🇸Let's check in on Taiwan. Taiwan’s Vice Premier Cheng Li-chiun rejected U.S. suggestions that 40% of Taiwan’s semiconductor production be shifted to the United States, calling the idea “impossible.” ➡️ She said Taiwan’s chipmaking ecosystem "cannot simply be relocated" and made clear to Washington that such a target is unrealistic. While emphasizing that semiconductor capacity will continue expanding in Taiwan, she added that companies can still increase their presence and investment in the U.S. without moving core operations.

🇯🇵🇺🇸 Japan's Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi: We will continue to build the Japan-US alliance, and we will continue to develop the Indo-Pacific, which Japan has agreed to for 10 years. Under this vision, we will continue to work closely with our allies, our fellow countries, and the Global South. Our resolve will not change. Because of the current complex international situation, the trust in Japan that we have built up so far is our asset. I have spoken with the leaders of various countries, and I am truly grateful for this. I would like to talk with President Trump. I would like to reaffirm our unwavering commitment to Japan-U.S. relations, and I would like to promote Japan-U.S. cooperation in the fields of foreign policy, economy, and security. I would like to open a new chapter in the history of the Japan-U.S. alliance.

🇻🇪 Venezuelan opposition leader María Corina Machado announced her close ally Juan Pablo Guanipa was kidnapped in Caracas just hours after his release from prison, saying that heavily armed men in civilian clothing took him around midnight.

🇨🇳 In the published letters from the "Epstein files", Jeffrey Epstein recalls that Chinese diplomats said about him: "Beware of the Jewish dog". They didn't know that Epstein's assistant spoke "three main dialects of Chinese".

The last honest politician Congressman Thomas Massie threatens to start publicly reading out the names of those mentioned in the Epstein Files that have been redacted if the Department of Justice does not release them.

🇮🇷/🇮🇱Iran is producing 300 ballistic missiles per month – Yedioth Ahronoth

🇺🇸🇮🇹U.S. Olympic Skier Hunter Hess at the Winter Olympics in Milan: It brings up mixed emotions to represent the U.S. right now. It's a little hard. There's obviously a lot going on that I'm not the biggest fan of, and I think a lot of people aren't. If it aligns with my moral values, I feel like I'm representing it. Just because I'm wearing the flag doesn't mean I represent everything that's going on in the U.S. Trumps account responds in a tweet Trump via Truth Social: U.S. Olympic Skier, Hunter Hess, a real Loser, says he doesn’t represent his Country in the current Winter Olympics. If that’s the case, he shouldn’t have tried out for the Team, and it’s too bad he’s on it. Very hard to root for someone like this.

🇮🇱❌🇵🇸 — Israel’s Security Cabinet approved sweeping measures to expand Israeli control and settlement activity in the West Bank. ➡️ The steps include repealing a Jordanian-era ban on the sale of Palestinian land to Jews, opening land ownership records, easing land purchase requirements, and transferring planning authority in parts of Hebron, including around the Ibrahimi Mosque, to Israel’s Civil Administration. ➡️ The changes also extend Israeli enforcement powers into Areas A and B, potentially allowing demolitions and property seizures in areas administered by the Palestinian Authority.

Japan has pivoted Hard right in latest elections. 🇯🇵The ruling coalition between Takaichi's Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) and the Japan Innovation Party has secured a supermajority of 310 seats in Japan’s Lower House. With that margin, Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi can now conduct constitutional revisions and override vetoes from the House of Councillors.

Putin Thanks UAE Leader for Assistance in Detaining Perpetrator of Assassination Attempt on Russian General Alekseyev: Kremlin The two leaders held a phone call on Saturday evening, Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov noted. The video released by Russia's FSB shows the perpetrator's extradition to Russia from the UAE.

Major World Events by Morning of February 8 🟠South Africa will withdraw its troops from the UN peacekeeping mission in the DRC by end-2026 after 27 years, citing strategic realignment of defense resources, the presidency said; 🟠Kenya plans to reduce its police deployment in Haiti after achieving its main goal of stabilizing the country, Foreign Affairs Principal Secretary Korir Sing’Oei announced; 🟠Khartoum is reportedly hosting its first flower festival since the start of Sudan’s war, with over 150 companies showcasing blooms and garden designs at the “Shitla” exhibition from February 7–14; 🟠The attacker who targeted Russian Lieutenant General Alekseyev has been arrested, the FSB reported. The perpetrator had arrived in Moscow on orders from Ukrainian special services, the Investigative Committee said; 🟠Russian science is growing stronger and more confident, with research by Russian scientists driving the country’s technological leadership, said Deputy PM Chernyshenko on the occasion of the Russian Science Day marked on February 8; 🟠Iranian President Pezeshkian called the latest talks with the US “a step forward”. However, Tehran insists on its right to enrich uranium, even if it ends up leading to war, Iranian FM Araghchi stated.

Today marks nine years since the death of Mikhail Sergeyevich Tolstykh, known by the call sign “Givi,” the commander of the Somalia Battalion. He is remembered as a legendary frontline commander who distinguished himself in the battles for Ilovaisk and Slavyansk, as well as during the defense of Donetsk Airport. “Givi” was killed on February 8, 2017, in a terrorist attack at his military base in Makeevka.

🇺🇸/🇮🇷 Iranian Member of Parliament, Mahmoud Nabavian: 'Before the negotiations, Trump contacted Iran through a regional country, conveying a message saying 'let us strike two locations in Iran—and you can respond symbolically' Iran rejected this offer, and replied that any attack would lead to a response in which at least 3000 to 4000 American soldiers would be killed. Furthermore, we would strike every single major company in the region that is U.S.-owned or has ties to America.'

Interesting threat by Netanyahu. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to depart on Tuesday and return to Israel on Friday, Israel Hayom reports. ➡️ One meeting is scheduled for Wednesday and likely another on Thursday. He may also hold separate meetings with Marco Rubio, Pete Hegseth, and JD Vance. That separate meaning seems quite interesting to me, as if Vance would carry out the attack.

🇺🇸The Justice Department is struggling to find new recruits and retain lawyers as the department seeks to only hire those who support Trump's agenda, NYT reports. ➡️ Applications are said to include questions about how candidates would advance the president’s policies and which executive orders they consider significant, along with how they would help implement them. ➡️ To address staffing shortages, the DOJ has deployed military lawyers as a temporary measure to assist overburdened districts, including Minnesota.

🇮🇱🇺🇸⚡️The Israeli Prime Minister's Office: Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is expected to meet with U.S. President Donald Trump this coming Wednesday in Washington, where they will discuss the negotiations with Iran. The Prime Minister believes that any negotiations must include restrictions on ballistic missiles and an end to support for the Iranian axis.

🇨🇳🇺🇸🇹🇼⚡️ — China has privately warned that the enormous $11.1 billion arms package to Taiwan could jeopardize President Trump’s planned April meeting with President Xi Jinping, with Xi urging Washington to handle Taiwan arms sales “with prudence,” according to FT. ➡️ Some U.S. officials believe Beijing may be bluffing, though others suggest Trump could delay notifying Congress until after the visit. The large $11.1 billion arms package for Taiwan was approved back in December 2025.

🇪🇸⚡️ — Spain's Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez: Why do they want to control mobile phones? They want to control phones because they want to know what we read and what we see so that later they can know, and control, what we vote for. That is why, when we have made proposals that are simply common sense, with nothing ideological about them, proposals to give extra protection to children under 16 from all that vulgarity, those lies, that disinformation, that hatred and violence that so often appear on phones and digital devices—the response from those tech oligarchs has been hatred, lies, and more vulgarity.