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Intrigue

Daily flyovers

Latest news for 10 February 2026

Quick hits of consequential news from all corners of the world.

  1. 01

    ISRAEL

    More West Bank.

    Israel’s security cabinet has loosened restrictions on Jewish citizens buying land in the West Bank, with the hardline finance minister (Smotrich) framing the change as "deepening our roots in all regions of the Land of Israel and burying the idea of a Palestinian state." The Palestinian presidency in Ramallah has condemned the move as “deepening attempts to annex the occupied West Bank.“ (Le Monde)

    Comment: The White House has also semi-opposed the move (by reiterating US opposition to West Bank annexation), but the elliptical comment from an unnamed official seems more an attempt to mollify angry US allies in the region rather than meaningfully tap Israel’s brakes ahead of Bibi’s White House visit on Wednesday.

  2. 02

    GERMANY

    Hofbrauhaus.

    The organisers of the influential Munich Security Conference have released their annual report, arguing we’re in an age of “wrecking ball politics” and that DC has abdicated its leadership of the free world. The Munich event kicks off this Friday. (NYT)

    Comment: The US ambassador to NATO has dismissed the report, but it’s not really US *ambassadors* the report has in mind.

  3. 03

    TAIWAN

    Fewer jets?

    The monthly number of China’s military flights across the median line has fallen to its lowest since Taiwan’s pro-autonomy Lai Ching-te took office two years ago. But lest anyone breathe a sigh of relief, we’re still talking five incursions a day, and Taiwan just accused China’s jets of “unusually dangerous” manoeuvres in December. (Japan Times)

    Comment: So why the drop in incursions? The most plausible theory we’ve seen is a change in fighter pilot training away from mileage towards tactics.

  4. 04

    PHILIPPINES

    Under the radar.

    The US Army has quietly begun a 50-soldier rotational presence in the Philippines, shifting from episodic visits to more sustained deployments. (Military Times)

    Comment: The numbers are barely worth mentioning, which is precisely the point — this kind of gradual salami-slicing is playing China at its own game. Beijing’s inevitable protest will be met with a “chill, it’s only 50 troops”, and that’ll continue each time the number grows.

  5. 05

    ETHIOPIA

    Training camps.

    According to Reuters, Ethiopia is hosting a secret training camp for the notorious RSF paramilitary accused of war crimes in Sudan’s civil war. And contrary to UAE denials, the Emiratis are reportedly funding and staffing the camp. (Reuters)

    Comment: We recently explored Sudan’s civil war (and the RSF-UAE dynamic) here.

  6. 06

    VENEZUELA

    Just kidding.

    Venezuelan authorities are rejecting claims they kidnapped opposition figure Juan Pablo Guanipa hours after his release, instead arguing they revoked his release because he violated his conditions. (AP)

    Comment: The regime is lying — his two conditions were monthly check-ins, and no travel abroad. The regime was also lying when it arrested him on trumped-up terrorism charges last May. It all likely reflects the different factions at play in Caracas — the ruling Rodriguez siblings pushing amnesty bills per their deal with the US, while hardline holdouts like Attorney-general Saab keep pursuing their foes.