Welcome back to your daily memorandum talking tech, business, AI, markets, and more. 🗞️

In today’s edition we are tackling the following:

🤝 Trump weighs TikTok purchase, decision in 30 days.
💵 Dollar starts week on front foot after Trump’s Colombia tariffs.
💡 Why now is the best time to start a startup.
🚀 North Korea test-fires strategic cruise missiles.
⚡ Bitcoiners slam Ripple for pushing multi-asset reserve.

TECH

• Trump discussing TikTok purchase with multiple people, decision in 30 days

  • U.S. President Donald Trump said on Saturday he was in talks with multiple people over buying TikTok.

  • The President would likely have a decision on the popular app's future in the next 30 days.

  • Talks involve ByteDance's US investors, source says.

• Perplexity submits a new bid for TikTok

  • Perplexity AI has submitted a revised proposal to merge with TikTok's U.S. operations.

  • The new bid is allowing the U.S. government to own up to 50% of the new entity after an initial public offering.

  • ByteDance has not yet responded to the proposal, and the U.S. government is considering extending the deadline.

• Retro Remake opens preorders for its PS One FPGA clone

  • Retro Remake has opened preorders for the SuperStation One priced at $179.99.

  • The console supports original PlayStation controllers and memory cards, and can run games from various systems.

  • It comes with a 64GB Micro SD card, and is available in black, gray, and translucent blue.

BUSINESS

• Dollar starts week on front foot after Trump’s Colombia tariffs

  • The U.S. dollar strengthened following President Donald Trump's announcement of 25% tariffs on Mexico and Canada.

  • The tariffs are intended to address concerns over illegal immigration and drug trafficking.

  • Investors anticipate that these tariffs may lead to higher inflation.

• Kia recalls more than 80,000 vehicles over airbag and seat belt issue

  • Kia is recalling over 80,000 Niro models due to seat belt and airbag malfunctions.

  • The issue involves damaged wiring under the passenger seat that may impair safety features.

  • Owners will be notified starting in March 2025.

• BYD Shark pickup is drawing attention in the global truck market

  • Chinese automaker BYD Auto expands its reach and product portfolio with a pickup truck.

  • BYD has not announced plans to sell the Shark in the U.S., but it has entered countries including Australia, Brazil and Mexico.

  • The Shark features a 1.5-liter turbocharged engine paired with dual electric motors.

CONTENT

• Why now is the best time to start a startup

  • Paul Buchheit, creator of Gmail and YC partner, shares insights on AI trends and startup opportunities.

  • The discussion explores AI's impact on the future of work, agency, and taste in an increasingly AI-driven world.

  • The episode emphasizes why now is the best time to build a startup, as highlighted at a retreat of 300 top AI founders.

• An operator’s guide to product strategy

  • Chandra Janakiraman, CPO of VRChat, shares insights from his experience at Meta, Headspace, and Zynga.

  • The discussion covers his playbook for product strategy, including strategy sprints and involving the right people.

  • He highlights common strategy pitfalls and the evolving role of AI in shaping future strategies.

• Beyond the boundaries of space-time

  • Experts debate whether the search for an ultimate foundation of reality is a mistake or a limitation of human understanding.

  • Alternative views suggest consciousness, information, or mathematics might underlie reality but remain inconclusive.

  • This content is hosted by Jack Symes, the discussion features Priya Natarajan, Donald Hoffman, and Hilary Lawson.

WORLD

• North Korea test-fires strategic cruise missiles

  • North Korea test-fired strategic cruise missiles on Saturday, with leader Kim Jong Un overseeing the launch.

  • The missiles traveled approximately 1,500 kilometers before hitting their targets.

  • North Korea condemned U.S.-South Korean drills, promising strong counteraction.

• South Korea’s impeached leader is indicted on insurrection charges

  • South Korean prosecutors have indicted impeached President Yoon Suk Yeol on insurrection charges.

  • Yoon's declaration of martial law, which lasted only six hours, led to his impeachment and arrest.

  • If convicted, Yoon faces severe penalties, including the possibility of life imprisonment or the death penalty.

• Belarus exit poll puts Lukashenko on 87.6% of vote in presidential election

  • Alexander Lukashenko is set to win a seventh term in Belarus with 87.6% of the vote.

  • The EU and opposition call the election a sham due to repression and undemocratic practices.

  • Lukashenko faces criticism for supporting Russia's Ukraine invasion and human rights abuses.

AND MORE…

• Bitcoiners slam Ripple for pushing multi-asset reserve

  • Ripple's proposal for a multi-asset reserve has faced criticism from Bitcoin enthusiasts.

  • Critics argue that Ripple's approach undermines Bitcoin's decentralized principles.

  • The debate highlights ongoing tensions between different cryptocurrency communities.

• DeepSeek gets Silicon Valley talking

  • DeepSeek's R1 model matches OpenAI's o1 in performance while using less advanced hardware.

  • The model employs reinforcement learning, enabling rapid self-improvement without human supervision.

  • DeepSeek's open-source approach has sparked discussions about the future of AI development.

• Gold Maxi reconsiders Crypto after $420M Solana meme coin success

  • Ronald Branstetter, a traditional investor, created the meme coin Unicorn Fart Dust (UFD) on Solana.

  • Unexpectedly, UFD's market capitalization soared to over $420 million.

  • He now believes that a cryptocurrency's value is derived from its community and the collective belief in its worth.