Iran's former crown prince entered the Hudson Institute, a conservative Washington think tank, to a standing ovation on Wednesday before calling on the U.S. to support the will of the Iranian people — to bring down their government.
Between the lines: Some might question Reza Pahlavi's status as a spokesperson for the Iranian people. He hasn't stepped foot in Iran since his father, the shah, fled the country in 1979.
President Trump says the initial trade agreement between the U.S. and China is "righting the wrongs of the past," referring to what he views as China's exploitative economic and trade policies. But Beijing is sidestepping that narrative.
The big picture: Domestically, China is presenting the "phase one" deal not as concessions made to a superior foe, but as the logical next phase of its own economic development.
Venture capital funding fell significantly in the U.S. and China last year, but boomed in the U.K., rising to a record $13.2 billion, according to a report prepared for the British government by industry group Tech Nation and research firm Dealroom.
Why it matters: The U.K. saw a significant increase in the number of deals and amount of money pledged by venture capital firms, far outpacing other European economies, with half the total funding coming from firms and investors based in the U.S. and Asia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin, 67, has given the clearest signal yet of how he plans to navigate term limits and join China’s Xi Jinping, 66, as a possible leader for life.
Why it matters: Several of the world’s most powerful leaders have recently shifted the rules in order to keep power past normal transitions.
President Trump's new trade agreement with China includes patent protections that could be a big boon to drug companies.
Why it matters: China's enormous population is a lucrative market for pharma, and the country is also actively trying to build up its own domestic drug industry. But it's not guaranteed that China will actually abide by the agreement.
American troops resumed joint military operations with Iraq on Wednesday, the New York Times reports, citing two anonymous U.S. military officials.
Why it matters: Operations are rebooting two weeks after thousands of protesters and militia fighters swarmed the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad protesting U.S. airstrikes in the country, which predated the killing of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said Europe needs to strengthen its cooperation on issues like technology and defense, while avoiding involvement in U.S.-China tensions, in an interview with the FT.
What she's saying: “The United States’ focus on Europe is declining — that will be the case under any president. We in Europe, and especially in Germany, need to take on more responsibility.”
House Democratic leaders pressed the Trump administration Wednesday on how it is preparing telecom companies for possible cyberattacks from Iran after the killing of Iranian Gen. Qasem Soleimani.
Why it matters: Iranian hackers have been known to attack U.S. businesses, and fears that they could turn their attention to key U.S. infrastructure — including communications networks — spiked following Soleimani's death in an American airstrike.
Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev and his cabinet resigned Wednesday after President Vladimir Putin announced major changes to the structure of Russia's government.
Why it matters: This is part of a much wider shakeup. Putin is facing constitutional term limits that, unless amended, will force him to leave office in 2024. In his state of the nation address, Putin proposed a referendum that would shift more power to the prime minister and cabinet and away from any presidential successor.
