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.

Here's a brief on some of the important news topics today:

- India: Union Home Minister Amit Shah highlighted the challenges posed by dark web, cryptocurrency, online marketplaces, and drones in combating drug trafficking at a regional conference. The government is focusing on increasing drug seizures and dismantling narco-terror networks.

- USA: President Joe Biden made a rare appearance in the White House briefing room to take questions after 1,080 days in office, indicating a shift in his interaction with the press.

- Global: The planet has crossed an important temperature threshold, and wildfires continue to ravage southern California.

- Middle East: An Israeli airstrike near the Masnaa Border Crossing in Lebanon has led to significant disruptions, with the strikes causing craters on the road used by many fleeing the conflict.

- Tech: Google has threatened to stop linking to New Zealand news content if the government passes legislation requiring tech companies to pay for news articles displayed on their platforms.

- Politics: In Slovakia, there's a likelihood of a snap election, and Sweden is set to tighten its immigration rules.

- Middle East Conflict: A ceasefire between Israel and Hamas is scheduled to commence on Sunday morning.

This summary covers a range of significant developments from various parts of the world based on today's news.

#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.

#NEWS #ALERT
Bitcoin Hits $100,000, Lifted by Hopes of a Crypto-Friendly Washington.

The world’s largest digital currency has staged an extraordinary rally since Election Day, surging more than 40% in just four weeks and setting one record after another.

#Bitcoin is nearing a new all-time high, driven by excitement among crypto traders over the potential of a second Trump administration. Meanwhile, stock futures are holding steady as investors prepare for a busy earnings season, and oil markets have found stability following Monday’s decline.

HBO documentary seeks to unveil Satoshi Nakamoto’s identity: “Money Electric: The Bitcoin Mystery,” on Tuesday that suggests an early #Bitcoin developer named Peter Todd invented the cryptocurrency.

Mt. Gox prepares to return $9 billion in crypto:
The Tokyo-based exchange, which shuttered a decade ago, has an October deadline to return the crypto it still holds to customers. This week, the court-appointed trustee administering the returns announced that around $9 billion in #crypto would begin moving back to customers by early July 2024.

Should #Biden have just ignored SAB 121, and not vetoed against it? There are Democrats with voters who support #crypto, a substantial voting block of between 44 and 50 million people participating in upcoming election.

Elon #Musk denies talking crypto with #Trump. But he added that he's "generally in favor of things that shift power from government to the people," which he said he believes cryptocurrency can do. Earlier, the Bloomberg report followed a Wall Street Journal story that said Trump and Musk have discussed a possible advisory role for the Tesla leader if Trump reclaims the White House.

Yes, we see that #Trump is all in #Crypto. If #Biden fails to map it on time, it might get counter productive for him to make this election. - Video curtsy: @LauraLoomer