Happy Valentine's Day! Here are your NEWS Briefs for today:

International Relations and Politics:
US-Russia Relations: U.S. Vice President JD Vance has warned Moscow, urging Europe to increase defense spending, following discussions on the international stage.

India-US Relations: India and the US have agreed to resolve ongoing trade and tariff disputes after talks between Trump and Modi.

Hamas and Hostages: Hamas has recommitted to the release of hostages, indicating a potential shift in Middle Eastern dynamics.

Economy and Business:
Tesla and EV Contract: Tesla was not awarded a $400 million electric vehicle contract by the State Department.

Cryptocurrency Market: The crypto market today shows subtle movements with Bitcoin holding steady while XRP leads among top altcoins.

Eurozone GDP: The Eurozone's preliminary GDP for Q4 was slightly better than expected at +0.1% quarter over quarter

Entertainment:
Infinity Nikki: New outfits have been released in the game, adding to the Valentine's Day celebrations among fans.

Movie Releases: The first single 'Premalo' from the film 'Court: State vs A Nobody' was released, stirring excitement for its upcoming premiere.

Taylor Swift: There's ongoing discussion around her and President Donald Trump, following her Super Bowl appearance, with Trump's social media posts reigniting their feud.

Weather and Local News:
Portland, Oregon: A cold breeze is expected to bring drizzle, impacting Valentine's Day plans (yahoo.com).

Edinburgh: Local news includes updates on new schools, church closures, and weather forecasts.

Sports:
Women's Premier League (WPL) 2025: The cricket league kicks off today with five teams competing.

#NEWS #ALERT

#Bitcoin briefly surged to $104k—what triggered the spike? Bitcoin bulls are buying aggressively, holding strong, and pulling coins off exchanges.

With Bitcoin's market cap alone hitting $2 trillion, bolstered by $31 billion in net inflows from US Bitcoin ETFs, the total crypto market cap has now surpassed $3.5 trillion. Several altcoins are experiencing significant growth, and NFTs are making a comeback. XRP recently reached its highest price in nearly seven years—though some claim manipulation, the price has since started to decline.

In a notable move, Brazil proposed using Bitcoin as a national reserve asset, sending a strong signal to the global market to take notice.

Ripple calls for the #US SEC to reduce fine: Ripple has strongly opposed the SEC's proposed $2B fine for selling its #XRP token, and a contingent of crypto lobbyists have moved to sue the regulator for expanding the definition of a dealer.