Tuesday☕️

04 Feb 2025 — 4 min read

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Yesterday, the Trump administration paused a planned 25% tariff on Mexico and Canada after both countries made commitments to U.S. border security. Mexico committed to deploying 10,000 National Guard troops to its border with the U.S. to strengthen security and reduce drug trafficking.
Canada agreed to a $1.3 billion border security plan, which includes appointing a fentanyl czar, designating drug cartels as terrorist organizations, and forming a joint task force with the U.S. to combat organized crime. In return, the U.S. postponed the tariffs for 30 days to allow time for these measures to take effect. This move highlights how the threat of tariffs is pressuring countries to align with U.S. objectives.

Economics & Markets:

Geopolitics & Military Activity:

Environment & Weather:

Over the past few days, a series of earthquakes have hit the Aegean region, particularly around the Cyclades and Dodecanese Islands in Greece. More than 200 undersea tremors have been recorded near Santorini, and a separate magnitude 5.0 earthquake struck the Dodecanese, affecting areas like Rhodes, Kos, and Karpathos. While no major damage has been reported, the ongoing seismic activity has raised concerns. Experts believe these quakes are due to shifting fault lines rather than volcanic activity from Santorini’s caldera.

As a precaution, schools on Santorini and nearby islands have been closed. Authorities have advised people to avoid unstable buildings and coastal areas due to possible landslides or small tsunamis. Emergency teams are on standby, and transportation services have been adjusted for those who want to leave. Scientists are closely monitoring the situation, warning of possible aftershocks but reassuring the public to stay informed and follow safety guidelines.

Privacy & Security:

Science & Technology:

The U.S. Navy released a new photo showing the USS Preble (DDG-88) firing its High-Energy Laser with Integrated Optical-Dazzler and Surveillance (HELIOS) system. HELIOS, developed by Lockheed Martin, is a 60-kilowatt laser weapon designed to defend against drones, small boats, and even short-range missiles. It is integrated with the Aegis combat system, allowing it to track and neutralize threats with precision. In addition to destroying targets, HELIOS can also temporarily blind enemy surveillance systems, making it a versatile tool for modern naval warfare.

This marks a major step forward in laser weapon technology, with similar advancements happening worldwide. Israel has developed the Iron Beam, a 100-kilowatt laser designed to shoot down rockets, mortar shells, and drones at a very low cost. Meanwhile, China has been working on laser-based anti-drone systems like the LW-30, which can disable incoming threats with high accuracy. These developments show that laser weapons are becoming a key part of modern defense systems, offering powerful and cost-effective protection against evolving threats.

OpenAI has launched deep research, an advanced AI tool designed to handle complex research tasks on the internet. Using OpenAI’s latest AI model, it can analyze text, images, and PDFs to create detailed reports in just 5 to 30 minutes. This tool is meant to help professionals in fields like finance, science, and engineering by automating time-consuming research. Currently available to ChatGPT Pro users in the U.S., Deep Research is a big step toward AI systems that can reason and complete tasks independently.

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