US, Iran to hold further talks

Plus, US does not dispute Navalny poisoning assessment.

Daily Briefing Daily Briefing By Claire Beers Hello. Iran says potential energy, mining, and aircraft deals are on the table in the second round of talks with the US, Israel tightens its control over the occupied West Bank, and New Delhi hosts a major artificial intelligence summit. Plus, Rubio says the US does not dispute the Navalny poisoning assessment by Europeans.  Today's Top News   People gather near a missile on display during the 47th anniversary of the Islamic Revolution in Tehran. Majid Asgaripour/WANA via REUTERS Top news Iran is pursuing a nuclear agreement with the US that delivers economic benefits for both sides, an Iranian diplomat was reported as saying, before a second round of talks between Tehran and Washington. The US dispatched a second aircraft carrier to the Middle East and is preparing for the possibility of a sustained military campaign if the nuclear talks do not succeed, US officials told Reuters. Israel's cabinet approved further measures to tighten Israel's control over the occupied West Bank and make it easier for settlers to buy land, a move Palestinians called a "de-facto annexation". Europe aims to rely less on US defense after Trump's Greenland push. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen reflected on a sense of profound change among European leaders at the Munich Security Conference when she said: "Some lines have been crossed that cannot be uncrossed anymore." US Secretary of State Marco Rubio vowed to deepen cooperation with Central Europe as he kicked off a trip to Slovakia and Hungary, whose conservative leaders have warm ties with President Donald Trump. A man accused of opening fire on a Jewish Hanukkah celebration at Sydney's famed Bondi Beach in an attack that killed 15 people appeared in court for the first time. The Reuters World News podcast has the latest details.  Investigators have obtained a DNA sample from a glove that was found near Nancy Guthrie's Arizona home and appears to match the pair worn by a masked prowler seen in doorbell camera footage before she was abducted two weeks ago, the FBI said. The Democratic Party is willing to spend tens of millions on a Virginia redistricting effort that could gain the party four more seats in the US House of Representatives, the chamber's top Democrat said. Business & Markets   Workers sit in front of a banner of India AI Impact Summit at Bharat Mandapam in New Delhi, India, February 16, 2026. REUTERS/Bhawika Chhabra Top executives from global AI giants will join several world leaders in New Delhi this week for a major artificial intelligence summit, at a time when India is trying to lure more investment in the industry. Peter Steinberger, the founder of OpenClaw, is joining OpenAI, and the open-source bot is becoming a foundation, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said. Anyone trying to buy a souvenir at the official Olympic stores at the Milano Cortina Games is being exposed to an issue troubling Europe's policymakers: the dominance of foreign payment providers and the fading role of cash. Japan's economy limped back to meagre growth in the fourth quarter, significantly missing market expectations in a key test for Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's government as cost-of-living pressures drag on confidence and domestic demand. ByteDance will take steps to prevent the unauthorised use of intellectual property on its AI video generator Seedance 2.0, the Chinese technology firm said, following threats of legal action from US studios, including Disney. A strike by workers at Kenya's main airport in the capital Nairobi was causing flight delays. Kenya Airways said air traffic control delays were affecting certain departures and arrivals at Jomo Kenyatta International Airport. Kremlin rejects European accusations it poisoned Navalny with dart frog toxin   People gather outside the Russian embassy, following the death of Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny. Dawid Zuchowicz/Agencja Wyborcza Five European allies blamed Russia for killing late Kremlin critic Alexei Navalny using toxin from poison dart frogs while he was held in an Arctic penal colony two years ago, a claim Moscow rejected as propaganda. A joint statement, Britain, France, Germany, Sweden and the Netherlands said analyses of samples from Navalny's body "conclusively" confirmed the presence of epibatidine, a toxin found in poison dart frogs in South America and not found naturally in Russia. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio called the report "troubling," adding that Washington had no reason to question it. Read more And Finally... See Melbourne like a local. REUTERS/Illustration/Alex Green. There's no gleaming harbour bridge or opera house. But Melbourne's charms are endless, including secret bars, wildlife where you'd least expect, and enough sporting events and festivals to keep you on your toes all year. In this fitness-mad city, there are also plenty of running routes and bike tracks. Read more   Sponsors are not involved in the creation of newsletters or other Reuters news content. Advertise in this newsletter or on Reuters' website   Reuters Daily Briefing is sent 5 days a week. Think your friend or colleague should know about us? Forward this newsletter to them. They can also sign up here. Want to stop receiving this email? Unsubscribe here. To manage which newsletters you're signed up for, click here. This email includes limited tracking for Reuters to understand whether you’ve engaged with its contents. 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