Tuesday, February 4

United States President Donald Trump has halted his incoming tariffs on Canada and Mexico after both countries announced the implementation of new border security plans, but he has maintained his stance on tariffs on Chinese goods.

Earlier this weekend, Trump signed several executive orders that would impose clear tariffs on almost all imports from Canada, Mexico, and China beginning this morning once the clock passed midnight. Canada and Mexico were set to receive 25% tariffs, while China would receive a 10% tariff on all goods-- with the exception of Canadian energy, which would face a lower 10% tariff. In addition, several clauses within the executive orders permitted Trump to raise those tariffs by a certain amount if retaliation tariffs were implemented by the three countries.

Trump believed the tariffs were the only way to force Canada, Mexico, and China to strengthen their control on what they send into the United States-- the US is currently struggling with the smuggling of illegal immigrants and illicit drugs at the border.

While Canada and Mexico were set to introduce tariffs of their own in retaliation, those plans changed on Monday.

Early in the day, Trump also conversed with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum, who agreed to send over 10,000 Mexican troops to the border to deal with illegal trade of people and drugs. In return, Trump confirmed that the United States would delay the tariffs for 30 days and would also control the flow of guns into Mexico in return.

Just hours later, after a call between Trump and Canada's Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, Trump stated that the tariffs on Canadian goods would be delayed for 30 days due to the sufficient action that Trudeau was taking to stop the border crisis on his side. Trudeau confirmed afterwards that Canada was planning to begin implementing a $1.3 billion border plan and appoint an advisor to control the shipping of fentanyl, a dangerous drug, into the United States. He also added that over 10,000 people are currently and will be working on border security, and they will use new technology and new vehicles to achieve their goal of halting illegal actions at the US-Canada border.

While this may have stopped a potential trade war brewing within North America, it does not stop the incoming conflict with China over tariffs. The tariffs on China were not delayed, and a 10% tariff on all Chinese goods is now in place. In retaliation, China has announced that they will implement tariffs on many American goods starting February 10, including a 10% tariff on crude oil, pickup trucks, and agricultural products and a 15% tariff on coal and liquified natural gas (LNG).

Unfortunately, neither the US nor China seem to be ready to back down in this new trade war, and it could have serious impacts on the economies of both sides. Trump stated that he will have a call with Chinese President Xi Jinping today, and has threatened to raise tariffs if a deal to stop the border crisis is not made.

Fact of the Day (Reader's Digest): It’s no secret that animals communicate with each other all the time. But when scientists recorded and translated the communication between Egyptian fruit bats, it turns out that they weren’t just having a conversation: they were full-on arguing with each other. Sometimes the bats argued about food, while other times their disagreements centered on sleeping arrangements.

Quote of the Day (Gracious Quotes): The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen, nor touched... but are felt in the heart. (Helen Keller)

Word of the Day (Merriam-Webster): Sarcophagus (noun, sahr-KAH-fuh-gus) - Sarcophagus refers to a coffin, and specifically a stone coffin.

In a Sentence: The crypt under the abbey church contains the sarcophagus of the monastery's founding abbot.