Amid a theatrical display of national power, the French president revealed a new doctrine he called “forward deterrence”. This is an important moment for European security https://t.co/ICwDXjM07lPhoto: AFP https://t.co/ham2Kqa91w ...

Amid a theatrical display of national power, the French president revealed a new doctrine he called “forward deterrence”. This is an important moment for European security https://t.co/sYyJzmXuof ...

Economic Data - Inflationary pressures in the U.S. showed signs of moderation, with the Consumer Price Index (CPI) rising by 0.2% month-over-month, below the estimated 0.3%, leading to an annual rate decrease to 2.4% from 2.7% in December, marking the lowest annual inflation rate since May 2025 [2][10] - The Core CPI, excluding food and energy prices, rose 0.3% month-over-month, with the annual rate easing slightly to 2.5% from 2.6% [3] - Real average weekly earnings increased by 1.9% year-over-year, up from 1.1%, indicating wage growth is outpacing inflation and enhancing purchasing power [4][10] European Geopolitics and Defense - German Chancellor Friedrich Merz emphasized the need for a stronger, self-reliant Europe, stating that NATO is not being disregarded but rather a strong European pillar is being built [5] - Merz acknowledged a "gap" between Europe and the U.S., calling for a new transatlantic partnership to rebuild trust, while Germany strengthens its defense capabilities [6] Corporate News - Alibaba (BABA) is expected to be added to a Pentagon list of firms with alleged ties to the Chinese military, which could have significant implications for the company [7][10] - In pre-market trading, U.S. stock futures indicated a lower open, with major tech stocks like Apple (AAPL), Microsoft (MSFT), and Amazon (AMZN) showing declines [8] - Rivian (RIVN) shares surged 20% in pre-market trading after reporting strong fourth-quarter results and guidance for increased vehicle deliveries [9] - Roku (ROKU) saw its stock jump 15% after exceeding Wall Street expectations in earnings per share and revenue [9]

Joining us, MS Now White House reporter Laura Bron Lopez, MS Now international reporter Enz DeQutara and senior fellow for national security studies of the Council on Foreign Relations and Washington Post columnist Max Boot. Um, so the White House is not disputing this, Laura. >> The call No, they're not disputing it at all, Katie.I mean, when the president was asked about it, uh, he essentially defended Steve Witoff, uh, his envoys conversations with, uh, Ushikov, the Russian counterpart, and his negotiati ...

The US has likely stationed nuclear weapons in the UK for the first time since 2008, in a signal to Putin that it remains committed to European security. https://t.co/jQRFkC4gPI ...

Defense Responsibility Transition - European allies will assume greater defense responsibility [1] - The transition of defense responsibility from the US to Europe will take time [1] - Replacing some US strategic enablers will take years, even with increased defense spending and efficiency measures [1] - The United States is expected to exert pressure on Europeans to accelerate the transition [1] Capability Development Timeline - Achieving certain capabilities, such as strategic intelligence and targeting, could take a decade [2] - Significant progress can be achieved with good and coordinated efforts [2] - Full capability development cannot be achieved in just a couple of months or a few years [2]