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U.S.-Iran talks in Muscat produced a cautious diplomatic opening from Tehran even as Washington imposed new sanctions targeting Iran’s oil trade. Iran refused a precondition banning uranium enrichment and elevated its military to the highest alert; the meeting exposed a narrow, high-risk negotiating window where failure could quickly revert to coercion or military action.

China’s military has intensified a campaign to root out petty privileges and everyday breaches of discipline, arguing that minor lapses are the seedbed of corruption that undermines unit cohesion and combat readiness. Combining revolutionary moral education with digital oversight and stricter rules, the PLA aims to institutionalise daily behaviour as the ‘‘first line of defence’’ against corruption.

The White House has signed an executive order replacing a decades-old first-come, first-served approach to U.S. foreign military sales with a prioritisation system for high defence spenders and strategically located partners. The Department of Defense must submit a prioritized list of platforms within 120 days, signalling a tighter integration of arms exports with U.S. industrial policy and strategic objectives.

A profile of Lieutenant Bu Jiawen illuminates a broader PLAAF shift from individual pilot skill toward data-driven, networked air warfare. China is investing in training, standardized procedures and simulator-led rehearsals to turn new aircraft into integrated combat systems capable of beyond-visual-range operations.

A suicide bombing at a mosque in Islamabad on February 6 killed at least 31 people and injured about 170. The Islamic State claimed responsibility, underscoring persistent militant capabilities in South Asia and highlighting security vulnerabilities in Pakistan’s capital.

LeMo Technology’s Hong Kong-listed shares halved within two months of its December 2025 IPO, tumbling to HK$18.84 on 6 February 2026 amid sharp intra-day sell-offs. Investor confidence soured after safety incidents, poor customer reviews and investigative reports that questioned the authenticity of the company’s claimed device deployments.

China’s central bank and seven other agencies issued a decisive notice on 6 February 2026 that reiterates a ban on cryptocurrency trading and services while extending strict controls to tokenisation of real‑world assets and offshore issuance of RMB‑pegged stablecoins. The measures mobilise an interagency enforcement apparatus and bar financial, internet and intermediary firms from supporting unauthorised crypto and RWA activities.

Hardline factions in Iran have intensified attacks on reformists, with some calling for the execution of former president Hassan Rouhani, against a backdrop of increased U.S. military deployments in the Gulf. The dispute pits hawks who favour confrontation against reformists who seek diplomatic de‑escalation, leaving the Supreme Leader’s choices as the pivotal determinant of whether tensions remain domestic or spill into regional conflict.

In the days before Oman‑hosted talks, the US, Iran and Israel have all escalated military posturing. Chinese analyst Qin Tian argues these moves are intended both to strengthen bargaining positions and to prevent accidental escalation, while regional states work to avert broader conflict.

Iran and the United States held indirect nuclear talks in Muscat on February 6 that Tehran described as a constructive start. The session ended "temporarily" with agreement to continue discussions, but Iran insisted negotiations be confined to nuclear issues and rejected a precondition banning uranium enrichment.

U.S. and Iranian delegations met indirectly in Muscat for the first diplomatic contact since last year’s strikes; Tehran called the talks “positive” but both sides remain far apart on scope. Washington sought to discuss missiles and proxy networks as well as the nuclear file, demands Iran rejects as non‑negotiable. The meeting reduces immediate escalation risk but underlines deep mistrust and a high chance of miscalculation amid regional and domestic pressures.

UN Secretary‑General António Guterres welcomed the resumption of Iran–US talks hosted by Oman on 6 February, urging peaceful resolution of disputes under the UN Charter. The meetings are a modest but meaningful step to reduce regional tensions, though outcomes remain uncertain given domestic and regional constraints.

Talks between Iran and the United States, mediated by Oman, have been temporarily paused with no public details on outcomes. The halt preserves a discreet channel of communication while leaving multiple diplomatic and security questions unresolved.

FAW‑Volkswagen has recalled 206,012 domestically produced Audi Q2L cars over adhesive failures that can cause C‑pillar covers to detach. At the same time Tesla has activated a China‑based AI training centre to tailor driver assistance systems to local conditions. Together these developments illustrate the tension between fast localisation of manufacturing and the push to develop on‑shore AI capabilities for autonomy.

China has for the first time set out three formal categories of data-market intermediaries—data exchanges, specialised platform firms and data merchants—and encouraged novel trading models to accelerate AI development. The guidance balances market-building with security and financial oversight, aiming to professionalise dataset supply while strengthening governance.

Cailian reports that SpaceX has told investors it will delay an in‑year Mars launch and concentrate on an uncrewed lunar landing targeted for March 2027. The shift responds to technical priorities, regulatory nudges from Washington and the company’s broader commercial and fundraising context, while leaving long‑term plans for Mars intact but deferred.

SpaceX has delayed a Mars mission slated for 2026 and told investors it will prioritise lunar operations tied to NASA, aiming for an uncrewed Moon landing in March 2027. The move recalibrates timelines, concentrates resources on an attainable near‑term goal and has implications for investors, U.S. space policy and international competition in cislunar space.

Beijing’s Cyberspace Administration fined Kuaishou Rmb119.1 million for failures in curbing pornographic content, prompting an apology and a pledged overhaul of internal controls. The same day, Alibaba’s Qianwen app topped Apple’s free chart after an enormous milk‑tea giveaway, illustrating the collision between viral user‑acquisition tactics and intensifying regulatory and platform oversight.

U.S. markets surged on Friday, with the Dow closing above 50,000 for the first time as chips and cyclical stocks led a broad-based rally. Nvidia and other semiconductor names jumped on expectations of increased AI data‑centre spending, while investors digested mixed signals on corporate capex and the Fed’s path amid delayed payroll data.

China’s latest MIIT vehicle catalogue revealed several heavyweight models that underscore an intensifying competition across power, battery and charging technologies. Xiaomi unveiled a 1,003‑hp YU7 GT while AITO, Li Auto, Xpeng, BYD and Great Wall filed large SUVs spanning pure electric, range‑extender and plug‑in hybrid drivetrains.