The sister of North Korea leader Kim Jong Un has said the country will respond to a US aircraft carrier's arrival in South Korea and other military activities.

“The DPRK is also planning to carefully examine the option for increasing the actions threatening the security of the enemy at the strategic level to cope with the fact that the deployment of U.S. strategic assets in the Korean Peninsula has become a vicious habit and adversely affects the security of the DPRK,”

The barrage of tariff announcements by the Trump administration drove US companies and individuals to buy a lot more imports to try and get goods across the US border before the levies were imposed. That took US trade deficit to a record in December, and it jumped another 26% in January to reach $153 billion in January.

Source: Bloomberg

The number of US citizens applying for UK citizenship hit a record high last year, partly due to Donald Trump's return to power and UK tax changes.

More than 6,100 US citizens applied last year – the most since records began two decades ago and 26% more than in 2023. Overall applications for UK citizenship rose by 6% to 251,000, also a record.

Applications from US citizens in particular surged in the last quarter of 2024, up 40% on the previous year to around 1,700, according to Home Office data.

Source: FT

China has imposed 15% retaliatory tariffs on select US goods.

Source: Bloomberg

Warren Buffett, the famed investor described tariffs as “an act of war”.

“Over time they’re attacks on goods,” Buffett said, responding to a question about their inflationary impact, suggesting that consumers will face higher prices as a result.

“Prices will be higher 10 years from now, 20 years from now, 30 years from now,” he said.

France has proposed using frozen Russian assets to guarantee Ukraine's security if Russia violates a future ceasefire agreement.

Source: FT

US Representative Darrell Issa will nominate Trump for the Nobel Peace Prize.

New US tariffs on Mexico, Canada and China began to have a negative impact on the US. After Trump said there was "no room left" for Mexico and Canada to avoid the tariffs, US stock markets tumbled.

The impact of China's tit-for-tat tariffs could be more severe over time.

NEW: Taiwan is reassessing its approach to the US, following the tense meeting between Trump and Zelensky.

Source: Bloomberg

NEW: All of Trump's top national security advisers approved the decision to cut off aid to Ukraine, Wall Street Journal reported, citing a US official.

US Senator Bernie Sanders:

Netanyahu's extremist government has stopped all humanitarian aid to Gaza.

Starving children is a war crime.

Taiwan’s Defense Minister on relations with the US:

We cannot rely on the goodwill of others to maintain peace in a rapidly changing international landscape.

WSJ, citing U.S. official:

Ukrainians didn’t believe we were serious, and we had to show them.

It is unclear whether Zelensky’s signing of the mineral deal will be enough to resume military aid.

Ukraine will be able to maintain its current pace of combat operations for only a few weeks, or possibly until early summer, following the U.S. suspension of military aid.

Source: CNN, citing a European official

Trump’s New Tariffs in Office

🇨🇳 China – 10% tariff on all imports
🇲🇽 Mexico – 25% tariff on all imports
🇨🇦 Canada – 25% tariff on most imports, lower rate for energy
🇨🇳 China – Additional 10% tariff on all imports

🔜 Planned Tariffs
🌍 Global – 25% tariff on aluminum & steel (March 12)
🌍 Global – Unspecified tariff on all agricultural products (April 2)
🌍 Global – Unspecified tariff on all foreign cars (April 2)

The suspension of U.S. military aid will primarily affect the supply of air defense missiles, HIMARS munitions, and artillery shells.

Air Defense Missiles
Patriot PAC-3 MSE
NASAMS
AIM-120 AMRAAM
RIM-7 Sea Sparrow
MIM-23 HAWK
Stinger FIM-92

HIMARS Munitions

M30A1 GMLRS
M31A1/A2 GMLRS
M39 ATACMS
M48/M57 ATACMS

Artillery Shells

M795
M982 Excalibur
M107
M549A1
BONUS & SMArt 155

"We have taken control of the eastern side of the Manshiya Bridge linking Khartoum and East Nile," Sudan army commander has said.

Australian Prime Minister says he is open to considering sending troops to Ukraine as part of a multinational peacekeeping force.

Elon Musk:

Zelensky should be offered some kind of amnesty in a neutral country in exchange for a peaceful transition back to democracy in Ukraine.

Mexico’s leaders have not publicly reacted to the tariffs. President Claudia Sheinbaum is expected to address the issue at her usual weekday news conference Tuesday morning.

Türkiye & UK discussed Syria in high-level meeting

Points highlighted in the session:

• A comprehensive approach and national reconciliation are needed in Syria.
• Rejection of separatist movements
• Support for Syria's fight against terrorism
• Full lifting of sanctions needed to support Syria's reconstruction and financial recovery.