Panama Responds,The Revolution of AI and Fentanyl Tariffs

Panama rejects Trump’s comments on reclaiming Panama Canal. Panama has formally rejected comments made by former U.S. President Donald Trump during his inauguration speech, where he suggested reclaiming the Panama Canal. In a letter to U.N. Secretary-General António Guterres and the U.N. Security Council, Panama clarified that the canal was not handed over to China but remains under Panamanian control. Trump's statement, "We gave it to Panama, and we’re taking it back," sparked the formal response.

President Donald Trump announced plans to impose a 10% tariff on Chinese imports starting February 1, escalating trade tensions between the two largest global economies. Speaking from the White House, Trump justified the move as a response to China's alleged role in America's fentanyl crisis, accusing China of supplying fentanyl to Canada and Mexico, where it is then trafficked into the United States.

President Donald Trump unveiled "Stargate," a joint venture between OpenAI, SoftBank, and Oracle aimed at investing $100 billion in computing infrastructure for artificial intelligence. The initiative, potentially scaling up to $500 billion over four years, highlights growing tech investments in U.S. data centers. Starting with 10 data centers under construction in Texas, the venture will welcome contributions from other investors.

In Europe, business leaders and policymakers are preparing for the implications of the new Trump era. An unofficial Trump Task Force spent most of 2024 studying American trade and foreign policy to determine necessary precautions and actions.