🇺🇸✡️⚡️- The chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison, Jennifer Mnookin, has been selected as Columbia’s next president.

Jennifer Mnookin will be the first Jewish president of Columbia University, following repeated Presidential dismissals during pro-Palestinian protests after October 7th.

This appointment now makes Mnookin the sixth Jewish president out of the eight Ivy League schools.

🇺🇸🇧🇷⚡️- “I spoke today by phone with the President of the United States, Donald Trump. We discussed topics related to bilateral relations and the global agenda. We exchanged information on the economic indicators of both countries, which point to good prospects for the two economies. President Trump stated that the economic growth of the United States and Brazil is positive for the region as a whole. We welcomed the good relationship built in recent months, which resulted in the lifting of a significant portion of the tariffs applied to Brazilian products.

I reiterated the proposal, forwarded to the State Department in December, to strengthen cooperation in combating organized crime. I expressed interest in tightening the partnership in repressing money laundering and arms trafficking, as well as in freezing assets of criminal groups and exchanging data on financial transactions, a proposal that was well received by the U.S. president.

Regarding the Peace Council, I proposed that the body presented by the United States be limited to the Gaza issue and provide a seat for Palestine. In that context, I reiterated the importance of a comprehensive reform of the United Nations, which includes expanding the permanent members of the Security Council.

We exchanged impressions on the situation in Venezuela. I emphasized the importance of preserving peace and stability in the region and working for the well-being of the Venezuelan people.

We agreed on a visit to Washington after my trip to India and South Korea in February, on a date to be set soon.” - Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva.

🇮🇱⚡- "Without providing an explanation: The judges decided to shorten Netanyahu's trial session tomorrow, and it will only last until 1pm, local time," - Israeli Channel 12.

Netanyahu is also scheduled to meet Knesset Opposition Leader Yair Lapid tomorrow to brief him on the security situation in the region.

🇬🇧🇨🇳⚡- "China hacked the mobile phones of senior officials in Downing Street for several years. The spying operation, Salt Typhoon, is understood to have compromised senior members of the government, exposing their private communications to Beijing.

Chinese state-sponsored hackers are known to have targeted the phones of some of the closest aides to Boris Johnson, Liz Truss and Rishi Sunak between 2021 and 2024.

The Downing Street hack formed part of a global espionage operation by Beijing that targeted multiple countries, including the United States and the other three members of the Five Eyes intelligence alliance: Australia, Canada and New Zealand," - The Telegraph.

🇶🇦🇮🇷🇮🇱⚡- "We're in the process of blocking the Iranian Shiite radical axis. But there is another one, the radical Sunni axis, the Muslim Brotherhood," - Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister.

🇺🇸⚡️- “Top Border Patrol official Gregory Bovino and some of his agents are expected to leave Minneapolis tomorrow and return to their respective sectors, according to three sources familiar the discussions,” - CNN.

🇺🇸🇮🇱⚡️- The US Holocaust Museum has condemned Democratic leaders comparing illegal immigrants detained by ICE to Anne Frank.

🇺🇸⚡️- DHS Secretary Kristi Noem has agreed to testify to the Congressional Judiciary Committee on March 3rd.

🇺🇸🇰🇷⚡️- “Our Trade Deals are very important to America. In each of these Deals, we have acted swiftly to reduce our TARIFFS in line with the Transaction agreed to. We, of course, expect our Trading Partners to do the same.
 
South Korea's Legislature is not living up to its Deal with the United States. President Lee and I reached a Great Deal for both Countries on July 30, 2025, and we reaffirmed these terms while I was in Korea on October 29, 2025. Why hasn't the Korean Legislature approved it?
 
Because the Korean Legislature hasn't enacted our Historic Trade Agreement, which is their prerogative, I am hereby increasing South Korean TARIFFS on Autos, Lumber, Pharma, and all other Reciprocal TARIFFS, from 15% to 25%. Thank you for your attention to this matter!” - President Donald J. Trump.

🇺🇸🇻🇪⚡- "I am pleased to report that Venezuela is releasing its Political Prisoners at a rapid rate, which rate will be increasing over the coming short period of time. I’d like to thank the leadership of Venezuela for agreeing to this powerful humanitarian gesture," - President Trump.

🇺🇸🇮🇷⚡️- "Officials in the Middle East are increasingly worried the United States will strike Iran in the coming days, an attack that could trigger a cycle of retaliation against U.S. bases across the region by Iran and its proxy groups." - NYT.

🇺🇸🇮🇷⚡️- Iran has the capability to launch anti-ship and surface-to-surface missiles, as well as massive numbers of drones, toward the USS Lincoln in its current position off the coast of Oman. There is also a risk of missiles being launched from Yemen.

The United States faced similar challenges during its campaign against Ansarullah in Yemen, which lasted about seven weeks and resulted in the loss of seven MQ-9 Reaper drones and two F/A-18 Super Hornet fighter jets, before ending in a ceasefire agreement.

🇸🇾🇮🇶⚡- Initial reports of PKK reinforcements arriving in the al-Hasakah region, northeast Syria, from Iraqi Kurdistan.

🇨🇳⚡- "The divide between Zhang Youxia, Vice Chairman of the Chinese Central Military Commission, and Xi Jinping, President of China, was no longer centered on debate or planning, and instead shifted to execution and direct noncompliance.

This problem was clearly visible across the Chinese military, and it posed a serious threat to Xi’s authority," - Pacific Forum, US-based Indo-Pacific Think Tank.

🇺🇸⚡️- BREAKING: Early reports claim Gregory Bovino has been relieved of his duties as Head of U.S. Border Patrol.

🇺🇸⚡️- The Justice Department has formally withdrawn its request for the chief federal judge in Minnesota to issue arrest warrants for Don Lemon despite his admitting to storming a church service on video.

None of the rioters who attacked the Cities Church last week are being charged as of now.