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Politics
Congress looks to overhaul sexual harassment rules
Lawmakers have pressed for action amid misconduct allegations against several House lawmakers, including Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C.
Senate Republicans say crypto bill likely to fail
“If there’s no interest in the White House in trying to bridge the gap on the ethics language, it is going to fail,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.
Senate Republicans say crypto bill likely to fail
“If there’s no interest in the White House in trying to bridge the gap on the ethics language, it is going to fail,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.
View / Africa should stop treating energy shocks as surprises
View / Breaking up Google could have handed more power to other monopolies
The World at a Glance
Updated 7:03pm EDT
1
Canada’s retaliatory tariffs against US goods are set to kick in, as the prospects for averting a tit-for-tat trade war appeared dim.
2US gas prices hit record highs and Iran raised fuel prices for heavy users, as energy disruptions hurt both countries.
3The nationalist AfD’s landslide victory in a German state could portend a far-right surge across Europe, analysts argued.
4Malaysia is eyeing Huawei chips for its sovereign AI efforts, Bloomberg reported, despite Washington’s warnings over using Chinese hardware.
5The latest US employment figures failed to show an AI-driven surge in job losses, suggesting theories of a “jobpocalypse” are premature.
6AI is straining China’s already weak jobs market, as 12.7 million graduates are set to join the workforce this year.
House Democrats short on cash in races they need for a big win
Candidates in high-profile races have competitive war chests, but those in lesser-known but critical campaigns often have less cash.
The ‘Switzerland’ of AI: Saudi Arabia’s big AI bet
HUMAIN CEO Tareq Amin says the Kingdom plans to transform its economy and become a global AI leader.
How a ‘China-for-China’ strategy rebooted Logitech
CEO Hanneke Faber says competing in China is critical to winning in the rest of the world.
Trump seeks to turbocharge manufacturing workforce
Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio helped launch the program, dubbed the Foundry School, on Thursday.
Chinese tech firms deepen ties in Saudi Arabia
Chinese AI, robotaxis, and factories are all coming to the kingdom (if they aren’t already there).
Trump administration warms to Zambia despite crackdown worries
Washington Democrats said they’re alarmed about post-election violence.
Filmmakers tout AI’s use in Hollywood at the other film festival in Venice
The Reply AI Film Festival fetes films made with the technology as its honorees say traditional filmmakers won’t admit they use it too.
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Politics
Congress looks to overhaul sexual harassment rules
Lawmakers have pressed for action amid misconduct allegations against several House lawmakers, including Rep. Chuck Edwards, R-N.C.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters
Senate Republicans say crypto bill likely to fail
“If there’s no interest in the White House in trying to bridge the gap on the ethics language, it is going to fail,” said Sen. Thom Tillis, R-N.C.
Elizabeth Frantz/Reuters
House Democrats short on cash in races they need for a big win
Candidates in high-profile races have competitive war chests, but those in lesser-known but critical campaigns often have less cash.
Nathan Layne/Reuters
AfD win could portend rightist surge across Europe
The AfD’s win in Germany shocked politicians in France, where far-right leader Marine Le Pen is leading the polls in next year’s presidential race.
Canada’s retaliatory tariffs against the US to take effect
Canada’s retaliatory tariffs against $27.6 billion worth of US goods will kick in after midnight on Tuesday.
US push for Russia-Ukraine talks yields little hope
Trump administration envoys who traveled to Kyiv and Moscow over the weekend hailed “substantive” talks.
The AfD’s weekend victory roils Germany’s politics
The far-right party’s success undermines Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s power as it has nearly doubled its support nationally compared to a 2024 nadir.
German far right claims historic win
Germany’s nationalist AfD won a landslide victory in the eastern state of Saxony-Anhalt on Sunday, potentially making it the first far-right party to gain power since the end of World War II.
German far-right set for gains in key elections
Recent polling published by Die Zeit showed, however, that the party will fall short of winning an absolute majority.
Trump seeks to turbocharge manufacturing workforce
Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio helped launch the program, dubbed the Foundry School, on Thursday.
Trump administration warms to Zambia despite crackdown worries
Washington Democrats said they’re alarmed about post-election violence.
Business
The ‘Switzerland’ of AI: Saudi Arabia’s big AI bet
HUMAIN CEO Tareq Amin says the Kingdom plans to transform its economy and become a global AI leader.
European bond yields rise amid fears of Middle East tensions
Higher inflation would further crimp the already tight fiscal space for under-pressure governments across the continent.
Women account for nearly all new US jobs in August
The figure suggests hiring could be clustered in low-paying, contingent roles.
US adds 162,000 jobs in August, beating expectations
The stronger-than-expected numbers have fed funds futures traders betting on a Federal Reserve rate hike this month.
Volkswagen announces record job cuts amid China pressure
European leaders have stepped up their vows to crack down on Chinese imports despite the potential blowback.
Technology
AI is not yet driving US job losses
The latest US employment figures have failed to show an AI-driven surge in job losses, suggesting theories of a “jobpocalypse” are premature.
Hannah Beier/Reuters
OpenAI implicated in another hack
A swarm of OpenAI agents hacked a German website this spring, Reuters reported, in the latest incident of advanced AI violating laws and norms.
Jonathan Drake/Reuters
US needs nimble approach to technological governance
The new law comes as the feasibility of AI oversight is in question for being impossible and too expensive.
Astra kicks off AI monitoring debate
Astra appears to do less of its thinking out loud, giving researchers little insight into whether it might be hiding something or planning something it shouldn’t.
Breaking up Google could have handed more power to other monopolies
The antitrust balloon-squeezing phenomenon is well documented.
Filmmakers tout AI’s use in Hollywood at the other film festival in Venice
The Reply AI Film Festival fetes films made with the technology as its honorees say traditional filmmakers won’t admit they use it too.
Energy
US, Iran feel pain from energy disruptions
US gas prices hit record highs and Iran doubled the price of fuel consumed over quota, as energy disruptions hit at the pump in both countries.
Majid Asgaripour/WANA via Reuters
US and Iran trade attacks on oil tankers
The US and Iran traded attacks on oil tankers over the weekend, intensifying pressure on energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
US Central Command/Handout via Reuters
Big Law sees a gold mine in data centers
‘Everybody and their brother is a digital infra and power lawyer now.’
Kevin Wurm/Reuters
Gulf
The ‘Switzerland’ of AI: Saudi Arabia’s big AI bet
HUMAIN CEO Tareq Amin says the Kingdom plans to transform its economy and become a global AI leader.
Saudi Arabian data center firm races to export compute from NEOM
DataVolt is aiming to slash development times for its $1 billion data center as it looks to make Saudi a global AI hub.
US and Iran trade attacks on oil tankers
The US and Iran traded attacks on oil tankers over the weekend, intensifying pressure on energy flows through the Strait of Hormuz.
Emirates introduces first electrically powered premium economy seat
The seats, which rival many first-class options on domestic routes in Europe and the US, will debut on newly delivered Airbus A350s.
Gulf carriers bulk up their fleets
Saudia Cargo will double its fleet, adding four Boeing 777-200F jets over more than two years.
China
AI upends China’s graduate job market
An estimated 12.7 million graduates will join the workforce this year, the largest cohort yet, far outpacing demand.
China Daily via Reuters
Malaysia eyes Huawei chips despite US warnings
Washington has warned that using Chinese chips could violate export restrictions.
Go Nakamura/Reuters
Beijing to inject $45 billion into banks and insurers
China’s growth target is already its lowest since 1991, and the economic picture is darkened further by a real estate downturn.
Stringer/Reuters
Africa
Uber’s unicorn partner Moove mulls Nigeria exit
The company, which began offering new cars to Nigerian Uber drivers five years ago, is set to leave the country as Uber’s shock exit makes its business untenable.
Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters
Dangote Refinery sets IPO price in Lagos
The company, whose 700,000 barrels-a-day oil plant is Africa’s largest, is set to raise about $1.6 billion.
Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters
S&P downgrades Senegal on debt fears
The rating decision drops the West African nation deeper into junk territory and underscores its vulnerability.
Kenya’s government clarifies foreign trader remarks
Kenya’s government sought to reassure foreign traders that they have legal protection to operate in the country.
Africa should stop treating energy shocks as surprises
The Hormuz crisis is the latest in a series of disruptions that have exposed the continent’s energy vulnerabilities. The time to build resilience is between crises, not during them.
New dossier sheds light on Sudan chemical weapons allegations
Documents, videos, and text messages reported by The New York Times and The Washington Post appear to show Sudan’s military producing and stockpiling chlorine-based weapons.
Security
US push for Russia-Ukraine talks yields little hope
Trump administration envoys who traveled to Kyiv and Moscow over the weekend hailed “substantive” talks.
Valentyn Ogirenko/Reuters
Russian hybrid tactics of sabotage and cyberattacks stoke fear
Russia’s foreign minister accused Germany of “declar[ing] war” after Berlin said the Kremlin was behind an attempted airport drone attack.
Vyacheslav Prokofyev/Sputnik/Reuters
New dossier sheds light on Sudan chemical weapons allegations
Documents, videos, and text messages reported by The New York Times and The Washington Post appear to show Sudan’s military producing and stockpiling chlorine-based weapons.
Sudan Transitional Sovereignty Council/Handout via Reuters
Media
Crooked Media’s nonprofit launches new political creator drive
The nonprofit arm of Pod Save America’s audio empire is hoping to lure younger voters back to the Democratic Party.
Crooked Media; Screenshot/TikTok/Crooked Ideas
YouTube cracks down on ‘ghost creators’
The enforcement action targeted accounts named in Semafor’s report earlier this week.
Paid actors, AI writing: How a new kind of video business cashed in on America’s divided politics
‘Ghost creators’ are reaching millions of viewers with nearly identical, sensationalized videos that take aim at Democrats.
New Leon Black book picks fight with the Times
Bill Cohan’s new biography is aimed, in part, at rebutting The New York Times’ coverage of Black and his ties to Jeffrey Epstein.
Axel Springer invests in Abu Dhabi-based outlet The Circuit
Axel Springer is latest Western publisher to take a greater editorial interest in the business story in the Middle East.
CEO Signal
How a ‘China-for-China’ strategy rebooted Logitech
CEO Hanneke Faber says competing in China is critical to winning in the rest of the world.
Coefficient Giving’s CEO on Silicon Valley $40 billion philanthropy boom
Alexander Berger is preparing for the AI-fueled wave.
‘We go big’: Jon Gray on how Blackstone places its AI bets
The $1.3 trillion firm is staying bullish but investing “through the lens that this may change.”
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