Thursday - February 5, 2026
Think Tanks

Here's a look at documents from think tanks

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Rand Issues Commentary: Venezuela After Maduro - Q&A With RAND Experts
SANTA MONICA, California, Feb. 4 -- Rand issued the following commentary on Feb. 3, 2026:

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Venezuela After Maduro: Q&A with RAND Experts

By Tahina Montoya, Marie Jones and Kelly Piazza

Today marks one month since the dramatic U.S. operation in Venezuela that captured Nicolas Maduro, the country's president, and brought him to New York City to face federal drug trafficking charges.

While many details about the operation are clearer now than they were in the immediate aftermath, it remains uncertain how the sudden change in Venezuela might shape long-term political, economic, and institutional ... Show Full Article

Jamestown Foundation Issues Commentary: Kremlin's Russian Nationalism Alienating Non-Russians at Home and Abroad
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 -- The Jamestown Foundation issued the following commentary on Feb. 3, 2026, in its Eurasia Daily Monitor:

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Kremlin's Russian Nationalism Alienating Non-Russians at Home and Abroad

By Paul Goble

Executive Summary:

* Russian President Vladimir Putin's increasing appeals to Russian ethno-nationalism--which he has employed to sustain support as Moscow enters the fifth year of its war against Ukraine--are alienating non-Russians domestically and across the former Soviet space.

* Putin's repression has decreased the visibility of non-Russian alienation within Russia, but ... Show Full Article

Ifo Institute: Business Climate in German Automotive Industry Improves Slightly
MUNICH, Germany, Feb. 4 -- ifo Institute issued the following news release:

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Business Climate in German Automotive Industry Improves Slightly

The business climate in Germany's automotive industry improved slightly in January to -19.6 points, up from -19.8 points* in December. While companies assessed their current business situation as worse, they are less pessimistic about the coming months. "Demand from the eurozone continues to act as a supporting force for the German automotive industry," says ifo industry expert Anita Wolfl.

Companies expect considerably better business abroad: Export ... Show Full Article

Hudson Institute Posts Commentary to Arab News: Arctic Remains a Zone of Sustained Competition
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 -- Hudson Institute, a research organization that says it promotes leadership for a secure, free and prosperous future, posted the following commentary on Feb. 2, 2026, to Arab News:

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The Arctic Remains a Zone of Sustained Competition

By Luke Coffey

US President Donald Trump's recent statements about the need to acquire Greenland caused considerable division within the transatlantic community. Fortunately, these tensions appear to have been resolved for now. One positive consequence of the Greenland debate, however, has been to elevate the strategic importance of the ... Show Full Article

CSIS Posts Commentary: Frontline - Technology Is a Modern Warfighting Domain
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 -- The Center for Strategic and International Studies posted the following commentary on Feb. 2, 2026:

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The New Frontline: Technology Is a Modern Warfighting Domain

By Katrina Schweiker

The history of war is inextricably linked to science and technology, from the Stone Age to spears and crossbows through guns and tanks to space, nuclear, stealth, and cyber. Control of science and technology through national investments and the American creative drive for innovation has fueled U.S. hegemony for the past 80 years. China's increasing research and development investments ... Show Full Article

CSIS Issues Commentary: Three Truths About the End of New START and What It Means for Strategic Competition
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 -- The Center for Strategic and International Studies issued the following commentary on Feb. 2, 2026:

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Three Truths About the End of New START and What It Means for Strategic Competition

By Heather Williams

The 2010 New Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (New START), the last remaining bilateral nuclear arms control agreement between the United States and Russia, expires February 5. Russian President Vladimir Putin has repeated an offer to informally continue to observe the treaty limits for an additional year. Barring a last-minute reprieve from President Donald Trump, ... Show Full Article

American Action Forum Issues Commentary: HHS-OIG's Direct-To-Consumer Drug Sales Bulletin: A Preemptive Maneuver
WASHINGTON, Feb. 4 -- The American Action Forum issued the following commentary on Feb. 2, 2026:

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HHS-OIG's Direct-To-Consumer Drug Sales Bulletin: A Preemptive Maneuver

By Michael Baker

Executive Summary

* The Department of Health and Human Services' Office of the Inspector General released a Special Advisory Bulletin that attempts to clarify the criteria for direct-to-consumer (DTC) platforms to avoid violation of the federal anti-kickback statute.

* The issuance of this bulletin is notable because of the impending launch of TrumpRx, the Trump Administration's heavily pushed DTC ... Show Full Article