🇩🇪🇺🇸⚡️ — German companies have nearly halved their investment in the United States during the first year of President Trump’s second term, citing trade uncertainty.

➡️ From February to November 2025, German firms invested about €10.2 billion ($11.1 billion), down roughly 45% from nearly €19 billion in the same period a year earlier.

➡️ German exports to the U.S. also fell sharply, recording their biggest decline since 2010.

🇺🇸🇰🇷⚡️ — U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Elbridge Colby is in Seoul for talks following the new U.S. defense strategy that calls for reduced American military support in deterring North Korea, Bloomberg reports.

➡️ The strategy urges South Korea to take the lead in deterrence, with the U.S. providing more limited but critical backing, arguing that Seoul is capable of assuming primary responsibility.

➡️ South Korea’s Defense Ministry said it will coordinate closely with Washington to ensure U.S. Forces Korea continues to support regional stability, and Seoul has pledged to raise defense spending from 2.3% to 3.5% of GDP as soon as possible.

➡️ Under current arrangements, if war breaks out on the Korean peninsula, the U.S. would take control of both nations’ militaries.

🇺🇸⚡️ — President Trump told The Wall Street Journal that his administration is "reviewing everything" about the fatal shooting of Alex Pretti by a Border Patrol agent in Minneapolis but declined to say whether the officer acted appropriately.

➡️ Trump criticized Pretti for bringing a loaded gun to a protest.

➡️ He said that the agents “will at some point" leave and praised the "phenomenal job" they’ve done so far.

🇪🇺⚡️ — The EU's foreign policy chief, Kaja Kallas, privately complains that EU Commission President Von der Leyen is “a dictator,” according to POLITICO.

🇮🇱🇩🇪⚡️ — An Israeli state commission found major failures in decision-making and oversight in Israel’s procurement of German-made submarines and corvettes, despite the deals’ strategic importance and multibillion-shekel value, according to Die Welt.

➡️ Israel currently operates five Dolphin-class submarines built in Germany and is scheduled to receive a sixth. In addition, Israel and Germany signed a multibillion-euro agreement in 2022 for three advanced “Dakar” submarines from ThyssenKrupp Marine Systems, with delivery expected in roughly nine years, which are controversial due to their potential nuclear capability.

➡️ The commission also criticized Israel’s handling of Germany’s submarine sales to Egypt, warning of security risks, and faulted Prime Minister Netanyahu for approving those sales without full consultation, while noting he faces no charges.

➡️ Several close associates of Bibi are currently standing trial over alleged bribery and influence-peddling connected to the procurement process.

🇹🇼🇨🇳⚡️ — Taiwan is monitoring what it called "abnormal" changes to China's military leadership after its most senior general was put under investigation and will not lower its guard as the threat level remains high.

🇪🇺❌❌ — NEW: The EU has launched a formal probe into Elon Musk’s AI chatbot Grok under the Digital Services Act over its ability to produce sexualized and “undressed” images, including harmful deepfakes and content involving minors.

🇷🇺🇸🇾⚡️ — Russian forces are pulling out of Qamishli airport in northeastern Syria, loading fighter jets, helicopters, and other military equipment onto transport aircraft.

🇮🇹🇪🇺❌🇮🇷 — Italy plans to propose adding Iran’s IRGC to the EU’s list of terrorist organizations, with the issue expected to be discussed when the bloc’s 27 foreign ministers meet in Brussels on Thursday.

🇮🇳🇪🇺⚡️ — EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen was chief guest for India’s Republic Day parade earlier today, alongside EU Council President António Costa.

🇮🇱🇵🇸⚡️ — BREAKING: Israeli forces have identified and recovered the body of Staff Sergeant Ran Gvili in the northern Gaza Strip.

➡️ There are officially no more hostages left in Gaza.