**Summary:** German Chancellor Friedrich Merz expressed irritation over the standing ovation for US Secretary of State Marco Rubio at the Munich Security Conference, viewing Rubio's stance as "Trump in a friendlier packaging." Merz explicitly ruled out independent German nuclear armament, citing the Two Plus Four Treaty and the Non-Proliferation Treaty, but suggested German jets could potentially carry French or British nuclear weapons.

- Merz stated he would have struggled to stand for Rubio's speech if he had been present in the hall.
- Merz is open to the idea of Bundeswehr aircraft being equipped to deploy French or British nuclear bombs.
- He rejected coalition partner SPD's plans to raise taxes for high earners and heirs, stating the tax burden is already near 50%.
- Merz supports a social media ban for minors, citing concerns over socialization occurring primarily through these platforms.
- He expressed skepticism about the realization of the Future Combat Air System (FCAS) project due to differing requirements between France (needing a nuclear-capable, carrier-capable aircraft) and the Bundeswehr.

**Why it matters:** The Chancellor's comments set a clear red line against independent German nuclear weapons while signaling a potential shift towards deeper European nuclear sharing arrangements within NATO, alongside domestic policy stances on taxation and social media.

**Confidence:** 98

Merz mit "Sympathie" für Social-Media-Einschränkung für Kinder

Merz schließt atomare Bewaffnung Deutschlands aus

Merz irritiert über Applaus für Rubio – atomare Bewaffnung Deutschlands schließt er aus

Merz rules out German nuclear armament, comments on Rubio's speech

**Summary:** Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky instructed his delegation during trilateral talks in Geneva to raise the issue of organizing a personal meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin to discuss territorial matters. This follows the first day of negotiations between Ukraine, the USA, and Russia, which coincided with a massive Russian drone and missile attack on Ukraine.

- Zelensky stated that a face-to-face meeting with Putin is the best way to achieve a breakthrough on territorial issues.
- The Ukrainian President emphasized that any peace agreement must be put to a national referendum, noting that ceding Donbas territory would be emotionally unforgivable.
- US mediators Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner reportedly assured Zelensky that Russia genuinely seeks to end the war.
- Zelensky criticized US President Donald Trump for publicly urging concessions from Ukraine rather than Russia.
- The first day of talks in Geneva included national security advisors from the UK, France, Germany, and Italy.

**Why it matters:** The push for a direct leader-level meeting occurs while peace talks are ongoing but complicated by continued Russian aggression and disagreements over territorial concessions, particularly concerning Donbas.

**Confidence:** 95

Росіяни атакували Запоріжжя: загинула жінка, 6 людей постраждали

Передача Донбасу РФ не отримає підтримки українців, - Зеленський

Зеленський доручив порушити в Женеві питання про його особисту зустріч з Путіним

Zełenski kończy dyskusję na temat Donbasu i żąda spotkania z Putinem

Переговоры о прекращении войны - громкое заявление Зеленского

Zelensky Demands Putin Meeting Amidst Geneva Talks and Escalating Attacks

**Summary:** The Congress of Peru voted to remove interim President José Jerí after only four months in office, marking the eighth presidential change in nearly a decade of political instability. Jerí was ousted amid investigations into clandestine meetings with Chinese state contractors and alleged irregularities in hiring officials.

- The removal passed with 75 votes in favor, 24 against, and 3 abstentions.
- Jerí assumed the presidency following the October removal of President Dina Boluarte (2022-2025).
- The investigation leading to his censure involved meetings with Chinese businessmen, including one where Jerí was seen wearing a hood and dark glasses.
- The conservative parties that initially backed Jerí withdrew their support due to his declining popularity and ongoing investigations for influence peddling.
- The Fujimorista party (Fuerza Popular) was the only bloc to maintain support for Jerí.
- A new Congress president will be chosen on February 18 to serve as the interim head of state until the elected president takes office on July 28.

**Why it matters:** This event continues Peru's pattern of rapid presidential turnover, highlighting deep political instability less than two months before general elections scheduled for April.

**Confidence:** 100

Peruvian Congress Ousts Interim President José Jerí After Four Months

Congreso de Perú destituye al presidente José Jerí

El Congreso de Perú tumba al presidente José Jerí apenas cuatro meses después de nombrarlo

El Congreso de Perú destituye al presidente interino, José Jerí, tras cuatro meses de mandato

**Summary:** Negotiations between Iran and the United States concluded in Geneva, with the Iranian delegation returning to their residence after the talks. Oman's Foreign Ministry announced that the discussions achieved tangible progress and paved the way for continuation.

- Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian stated the negotiations proceeded with full coordination and authorization from the Supreme Leader.
- Pezeshkian emphasized the goal is the real resolution of issues, not dialogue for dialogue's sake.
- An Iranian official, Araqchi, noted the atmosphere was more constructive in this round, and general guiding principles were agreed upon.
- A former US intelligence official, John Kiriakou, claimed that Israelis are not friends of the United States, citing alleged Mossad espionage activities in the US.

**Why it matters:** The conclusion of the second round of talks with reported 'tangible progress' suggests a positive momentum in diplomatic efforts between Tehran and Washington, despite internal political statements regarding the nature of the relationship.

**Confidence:** 95

عمان: مذاکرات امروز ایران و آمریکا پیشرفت ملموسی داشت

مقام پیشین آمریکا: اسرائیلی‌ها دوستان ما نیستند

واشنگتن: آمریکا آزمایش‌های هسته‌ای را ازسر خواهد گرفت

بازگشت هیئت ایرانی به محل اقامت بعد از پایان مذاکره با آمریکا

وزیر امور خارجه: آمریکا با حمله به ایران ماهیت ان پی تی را زیر سوال برد

پزشکیان ​​​​​​​: مذاکرات با هماهنگی و مجوز رهبری در حال انجام است/ به دنبال دستیابی به نتیجه هستیم

Iran-US Talks Conclude in Geneva with 'Tangible Progress,' Iranian Delegation Returns

Tarique Rahman, Chairman of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), was sworn in as the new Prime Minister of Bangladesh on Tuesday, February 17, 2026, following the BNP alliance's landslide victory in the Thirteenth National Parliament elections.

## Why it matters

This marks the fourth time the BNP has formed a government since 1991, ending the long tenure of alternating leadership between the parties of Khaleda Zia and Sheikh Hasina, whose party was banned from contesting the election.

## Key points

- Rahman, 60, is the son of former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia and former President Ziaur Rahman, and the first male PM in 35 years.
- The BNP and its partners secured 212 seats in the 350-member parliament; the opposition alliance led by Jamaat-e-Islami won 77 seats.
- Rahman is scheduled to start his first day in office on Wednesday, February 18, by paying respects at the National Martyrs' Memorial in Savar.
- A.N.M. Ehsanul Haque Milon, who won the Chandpur-1 seat, was sworn in as a minister and assigned the portfolios of Education and Primary and Mass Education.
- The election was overseen by an interim government led by Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus, following the ousting of Sheikh Hasina's party in the 2024 uprising.

Tarique Rahman Sworn in as Bangladesh's New Prime Minister

The Chinese New Year holiday saw a surge in both domestic and international travel, with "coming to China for the New Year" becoming a global tourism trend, supported by relaxed visa policies and rich cultural experiences.

## Why it matters

The global appeal of the Chinese New Year highlights the comprehensive attractiveness of Chinese modernization and cultural confidence, driving high-quality development in China's inbound tourism sector.

## Key points

- International passenger flight bookings for the Spring Festival surged by 400% year-on-year, with Russian tourists showing a booking increase of over 470%.
- Some less popular destinations like Lanzhou and Hohhot saw foreign tourist growth exceeding four times.
- Guangdong province's railway passenger flow hit a historical record on February 13th, indicating a trend of "reverse Spring Festival travel."
- The evolving celebration includes family trips, such as a 35-person family taking a bus tour to Yunnan, reflecting a shift from traditional home-based reunions.
- The modern Spring Festival experience integrates diverse cultural offerings like food, sports, and folk customs, moving beyond a purely domestic event.

Chinese New Year Becomes Global Tourism Trend Amid Record Travel

The European Commission has opened an investigation into the Chinese e-commerce platform Shein for alleged 'addictive design,' lack of transparency in recommendations, and the sale of illegal products, including material that could constitute child sexual abuse, such as child-like sex dolls. This formal investigation follows a request for information made by Brussels in November after a scandal erupted in France.

## Why it matters

This is the first formal investigation opened by the European Commission against Shein under the Digital Services Act (DSA), signaling increased regulatory scrutiny over large online platforms regarding illegal content and consumer protection.

## Key points

- The investigation focuses on Shein's systems for limiting the sale of illegal products within the European Union.
- The probe also covers the platform's 'addictive design' and insufficient transparency regarding product recommendations.
- The Commission had previously demanded information from Shein in November following the French scandal involving inflatable dolls with a child-like appearance.
- Shein stated its intention to cooperate constructively with the Commission to ensure a safe online environment.
- The investigation is the first under the EU's Digital Services Act (DSA) targeting Shein.

EU launches investigation into Shein over illegal sales, including child-like sex dolls

The Adani Group announced a direct investment of $100 billion by 2035 to develop renewable-energy-powered, hyperscale AI-ready data centres, aiming to establish one of the world's largest integrated energy-compute commitments.

## Why it matters

This massive investment aligns with India's efforts to become a global hub for artificial intelligence and cloud computing, positioning the nation strongly in the emerging Intelligence Revolution.

## Key points

- The initiative is expected to catalyze an additional $150 billion across server manufacturing, cloud platforms, and supporting industries, creating a projected $250 billion AI infrastructure ecosystem in India.
- The roadmap builds on AdaniConneX's existing 2 GW national data centre platform, expanding towards a 5 GW target.
- Partnerships are in place with Google for a gigawatt-scale AI data centre campus in Visakhapatnam, and with Microsoft for similar facilities in Hyderabad and Pune.
- The conglomerate is also deepening collaboration with Flipkart for a second AI data centre to support digital commerce workloads.
- Gautam Adani, Chairman of the Adani Group, stated the goal is for India to be creators, builders, and exporters of intelligence.

Quarte Bot