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The US Navy announced that the second Ford‑class carrier, John F. Kennedy (CVN‑79), completed its builder’s sea trials on February 4 at Huntington Ingalls’ Newport News shipyard. The milestone tests propulsion and core systems ahead of further trials, crew training and eventual commissioning, and will be closely watched for signs that earlier Ford‑class problems are being resolved.

The IRGC unveiled the Khorramshahr‑4 medium‑range ballistic missile and an underground missile facility on 4 February, touting a 2,000 km range, 1,500 kg warhead and improved accuracy and re‑entry speed. The demonstration, timed ahead of narrowly focused US‑Iran nuclear talks in Muscat, is a strategic signal that Iran's missile deterrent is non‑negotiable and intended to shape regional and Western calculations.

Gulf and Muslim states have drafted a mutual non‑aggression framework they hope will be adopted by the United States and Iran during talks in Muscat, aiming to curb direct strikes and proxy escalation. The proposal faces major hurdles — chiefly verification, the unresolved nuclear dispute, and likely Israeli opposition — that may limit its practical effect.

The United States has asked Israel to avoid unilateral military action against Iran while American and Iranian officials meet in Muscat, reflecting Washington's concern that an Israeli strike could derail fragile nuclear talks. Israeli officials remain doubtful an agreement is possible, and the episode highlights the persistent risk that local military moves could trigger broader regional escalation.

South Korea and the UAE signed a defence cooperation memorandum that opens the door to jointly developing a stealth‑enhanced KF-21EX fighter. The deal reflects the UAE’s desire to diversify weapon suppliers and Seoul’s ambition to break into higher tiers of the global fighter market, but the project faces major technical, export-control and competitive hurdles.

China has hosted high-level visits from Iran and Cuba, offering political support and practical assistance that help both states weather US sanctions. Beijing’s approach—economic cooperation framed as non-confrontational diplomacy—creates alternative lifelines that dilute the impact of unilateral pressure and complicate US policy options.

A UN World Food Programme convoy was struck by a drone in North Kordofan on 6 February, killing one and injuring three. The attack, blamed on the Rapid Support Forces, highlights escalating risks to humanitarian access amid a two-year war that has killed nearly 30,000 people.

China’s military has intensified high‑tempo, cross‑domain training across land, sea, air and cyber units, emphasising realistic red‑blue opposition and electromagnetic and data warfare scenarios. The push aims to harden combat readiness, validate new tactics and signal growing joint capabilities, but it also raises questions about sustainability and escalation risks in regional crises.

Iran and the United States held indirect talks in Muscat on February 6 that Tehran described as a promising start. Both sides agreed to continue negotiations, with Iran stressing that the removal of threats and pressure is a necessary precondition for substantive progress.

Israel’s recognition of Somaliland has jolted an already fragile Somalia, risking fresh fragmentation and external militarisation. Persistent internal disputes, a resilient al-Shabaab insurgency and competing foreign patrons complicate Mogadishu’s path to stability even as pockets of economic and social recovery appear in the capital.

Iran and the United States held indirect talks in Muscat on February 6 with Oman acting as intermediary. The low-profile meeting, attended by Iran’s foreign minister Araghchi and a U.S. envoy Witkoff with Jared Kushner present, signals cautious diplomatic engagement but stops short of any immediate, comprehensive agreement.

China’s securities regulator has opened a formal investigation into Qingyue Technology over alleged false financial reporting and has frozen key securities and fundraising bank accounts. The probe follows prior warnings about misuse of raised funds, undisclosed related‑party deals and a disputed export‑tax rebate, and raises the spectre of forced delisting amid weak industry conditions and strained company finances.

U.S. stock indexes opened higher while Amazon tumbled over 9% after announcing a $200 billion capital expenditure plan, triggering investor concern. Storage suppliers such as SanDisk and Western Digital gained on expectations of increased demand from cloud and data-centre expansion.

China’s central bank and seven other ministries declared virtually all crypto-related business illegal, tightened rules on internet platforms and company registrations, and prohibited the overseas issuance of renminbi‑pegged stablecoins without approval. The coordinated notice widens enforcement to include platform takedowns, mining curbs and potential criminal prosecution, closing formal onshore channels for crypto trading and tokenisation.

Indirect talks in Muscat on 6 February mediated by Oman produced a limited breakthrough: Iran and the U.S. agreed to continue dialogue, though core terms remain disputed. The mediated format reflects deep mistrust but also a shared interest in avoiding escalation while technical and political obstacles are negotiated.

JD Logistics’ first courier, Jin Yicai, has retired with property, savings of over RMB1 million and a monthly pension of about RMB4,000, a profile JD has publicised to highlight its direct‑hire, welfare‑oriented logistics model. The story underscores JD’s strategy of higher labour costs in exchange for employee stability and brand advantage, contrasting with the outsourced, gig‑style labour common elsewhere in China’s parcel industry.

China’s cyberspace regulator fined Kuaishou Rmb119.1m for failing to remove illegal content and ordered the company to make corrections within a set period. The move underscores Beijing’s ongoing push for tighter platform governance and raises the cost of rapid-engagement business models that rely on high-volume, real-time user content.

Bitcoin breached $68,000 on Feb. 6, extending a rebound after a sharp midweek sell‑off. The recovery reflects mechanical short‑covering amid high leverage, but volatility and liquidation risk mean the rally may be fragile.

Bitcoin rose above $68,000, continuing a rebound after a sharp midweek sell-off driven in part by forced liquidations in derivatives markets. The episode highlights persistent volatility driven by leveraged positions and concentrated liquidity, creating execution risk for investors and a potential focus for regulators.

Heightened U.S. military pressure in the Gulf meets deepening factional rivalry inside Iran, where hardliners and sidelined reformists clash over how to respond. With missile upgrades and February 6 negotiations looming, Tehran’s internal divisions may determine whether diplomacy holds or conflict erupts, carrying broad regional consequences.