US News

• Trump names Ambassador to Germany Richard Grenell to be Acting Director of National Intelligence. [Link]
• A Pentagon official says the US needs to design new weapons to be prepared for war with China. [Link]

Afghanistan

• The Taliban says there will be no peace deal if US troops remain in Afghanistan. [Link]
• The Taliban say an agreement will be signed with the US on February 29th. [Link]

Turkey/Syria

• Turkey says it will activate the Russian S-400 air defense system. [Link]
• Turkey says the US may send Patriot missile systems to Turkey to use in Idlib, Syria. [Link]
• Two Turkish soldiers were killed by Syrian Army airstrikes in Idlib. [Link]
• Turkey says it killed 50 Syrian soldiers in response. [Link]

Middle East

• The US sanctions five Iranians. [Link]
• Fighting in Yemen is picking up south of Hodeida. [Link]

Libya

• The UN says Libyan ceasefire talks have resumed. [Link]
• The Libyan National Army says any ceasefire agreement is conditioned on Turkey withdrawing from Libya. [Link]