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Intelligence for the New World Economy
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The World at a Glance
Updated 9:02am EDT
1
Nvidia unveiled a new ‘superchip’ for AI-driven home computing that would replace keyboards and mice with AI agents.
2The US and Iran again traded strikes, while Donald Trump insisted ‘it will all work out well in the end.’
3US foreign policy interventions in Ukraine, Gaza, and Iran have all reached an effective stalemate, piling pressure on Donald Trump.
4Donald Trump faces increasing domestic struggles as Republicans revolt and his approval rating plummets.
5Militaries are considering relaxing ethical concerns about the use of AI in war, despite experts’ warnings.
6Taiwan’s Beijing-friendly opposition leader will meet with lawmakers in DC, at a time when Washington’s commitment to the island is in doubt.
Black Democrats confront their post-Voting Rights Act crisis
The scramble for a shrinking map is getting more intense as southern-state redistricting forces competition.
Prince Williams/WireImage/Getty ImagesHow Cisco’s Chuck Robbins gets his team to ‘disagree and commit’
The longstanding CEO says a bad decision that you reverse is better than a delay.
Courtesy of Cisco/Joey Pfeifer/SemaforOil prices fall, stocks rise on potential Iran deal
Analysts warned that huge challenges still remained for the global energy market.
Stringer/ReutersWhat’s next for Gretchen Whitmer?
The Michigan governor’s office says she won’t be president of Michigan State University.
Mike Blake/Reuters Republicans still stuck on party-line immigration bill
The so-called anti-weaponization fund “caught a lot of us off-guard,” said Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb.
Eric Lee/Reuters Tech ads on the New York subway are up 50% this year
AI has already upended the digital advertising sector. Now, more tech companies are turning to traditional static ads.
Ads for AI company mistral in NYC. Shannon Stapleton/Reuters.Iran deal awaits Trump, Tehran approval
The US and Iran neared a deal to extend their ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but Trump and Tehran are yet to sign off on it.
Evan Vucci/Reuters
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Politics
Evan Vucci/File Photo/Reuters
Provided to SemaforPrince Williams/WireImage/Getty Images
Trump faces mounting pressure as Republicans revolt
The US president is also 20 points underwater in polls — far more unpopular than Joe Biden at this point in his term.
Evan Vucci/File Photo/ReutersWhy groups are spending big in Montana’s Democratic Senate primary
Both Republicans and Democrats are backing candidates who have no shot at winning in November.
Provided to SemaforBlack Democrats confront their post-Voting Rights Act crisis
The scramble for a shrinking map is getting more intense as southern-state redistricting forces competition.
Prince Williams/WireImage/Getty ImagesPlatner: Collins ‘trying to offload her mistakes’
Maine Democratic Senate nominee Graham Platner isn’t backing down from his comments that GOP Sen. Susan Collins “sent me” to fight in Iraq, charging her with “trying to offload her mistakes” for pointing out that he chose to enlist.
Debatable: The scope of Trump’s new green card curbs
The administration has sent confusing signals about whether H-1B holders will get caught up in the new policy.
What’s next for Gretchen Whitmer?
The Michigan governor’s office says she won’t be president of Michigan State University.
Republicans still stuck on party-line immigration bill
The so-called anti-weaponization fund “caught a lot of us off-guard,” said Sen. Deb Fischer, R-Neb.
White House rejects ‘doomer view’ of economy
The Trump administration is struggling to sell the Iran war while oil prices fuel inflation.
Iran deal awaits Trump, Tehran approval
The US and Iran neared a deal to extend their ceasefire and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but Trump and Tehran are yet to sign off on it.
Pentagon’s Wall Street push draws Democrats’ ire
Lawmakers are raising concerns about plans for an “Economic Defense Unit” first reported by Semafor.
Ebola crisis could become worst on record
The global community is ‘on our back foot already,’ a former Biden official said of the virus response.
BusinessCourtesy of Cisco/Joey Pfeifer/Semafor
How Cisco’s Chuck Robbins gets his team to ‘disagree and commit’
The longstanding CEO says a bad decision that you reverse is better than a delay.
Courtesy of Cisco/Joey Pfeifer/SemaforCompanies evaluate aggressive AI spending as costs pile up
Pitched partly as an avenue for businesses to save money, AI has sent IT costs soaring.
Child’s play for Japanese adults
The popularity of the toys, known as gacha gacha, comes as Japan’s population rapidly ages — the number of children has hit a fresh low.
Where are the customers’ hedges?
The future of commerce can’t possibly be a prediction market for whether someone will deliver me four kiwis.
Central bank leaders warn of long-term inflation impact of Iran war
Traders are now betting on at least one US Federal Reserve rate increase this year.
Technology
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang at the Computex trade show in Taiwan. Ann Wang/Reuters.
A US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drone. Ricardo Arduengo/Reuters.
Nvidia unveils new ‘superchip’ for AI-driven home computing
The chips are designed to allow AI agents to become the primary way users interact with their computers, rather than a mouse and keyboard.
Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang at the Computex trade show in Taiwan. Ann Wang/Reuters.Militaries mull the use of AI in war
UK defense officials are considering lifting requirements that humans should always choose targets, while other NATO countries may relax ethical concerns.
A US Air Force MQ-9 Reaper drone. Ricardo Arduengo/Reuters.UAE ups pre-IPO stake in Anthropic
Sovereign wealth fund MGX backed the AI startup’s $65 billion fundraise, further strengthening its position in the Claude developer.
Mustafa Suleyman’s case against open-source AI shortcuts
As AI costs sting companies, Suleyman argues that cheap, distilled models are a shortcut that eventually fails.
How AI is making assistance for the visually impaired more accessible
Aira has developed an AI model with Google DeepMind that helps the visually impaired navigate daily life.
AI startup offers free home cleaning to train robots
Shift made a splashy launch Thursday, and has since gotten demand for “thousands and thousands of bookings.”
Energy
Luke MacGregor/Reuters
China Daily via Reuters
Stringer/Reuters
BP’s ousted chair to challenge accusations
Albert Manifold was abruptly removed from his position atop the oil major’s board this week.
Luke MacGregor/ReutersGlobal clean-energy trade reaches record high
New data suggest Donald Trump’s tariffs on the energy transitions sector did little to stifle clean energy trade.
China Daily via ReutersOil prices rise on fresh round of Iran-US airstrikes
But insurance rates for tankers passing the strait — the most important indicator of whether the waterway is “reopening” — haven’t budged.
Stringer/ReutersGulf
JohnnyGreig/Getty
UAE drafts first Arabic-language law
It is a significant move for a country where Emiratis make up less than 12% of the population, and where Arabic has ceded ground in daily life.
JohnnyGreig/GettyUAE ups pre-IPO stake in Anthropic
Sovereign wealth fund MGX backed the AI startup’s $65 billion fundraise, further strengthening its position in the Claude developer.
Gulf funds step up dealmaking despite Iran war
Gulf capital flowed into US deals, though PIF’s $6 billion investment in Chinese game developer Moonton Technology meant that emerging market investments outpaced developed market deals.
Saudi Arabia pledges $1.5B aid package for Syria
The package is a major boost to Damascus, which is working to consolidate power and restart the economy after more than a decade of war.
Former Qatari energy minister Abdullah Al Attiyah dies
Abdullah bin Hamad Al Attiyah was the architect of Qatar’s LNG industry, transforming the country into one of the world’s wealthiest nations.
China
Edgar Su/File Photo/Reuters
Go Nakamura/Reuters
cnsphoto via Reuters
Taiwan opposition leader to visit DC
The visit comes at a time when Washington’s commitment to the self-governing island has been cast in doubt.
Edgar Su/File Photo/ReutersChinese manufacturing slows as Iran war strains economy
Beijing has been relatively shielded from the worst effects of the conflict so far.
Go Nakamura/ReutersChinese drug reduces lung cancer death risk by 34% in trial
The results capped a whirlwind month in global medicine.
cnsphoto via ReutersAfrica
Ricci Shryock/Reuters
Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Pius Utomi Ekpei/AFP via Getty Images.
Ebola outbreak requires multifaceted response
An effective — and preventative — approach will need deep-rooted institutions and relationships across multiple sectors.
Ricci Shryock/ReutersFormer Nigerian VP Atiku wins election nomination
Atiku Abubakar, who has sought the Nigerian presidency on six previous occasions, will represent the African Democratic Congress.
Nigerian Vice President Atiku Abubakar. Pius Utomi Ekpei/AFP via Getty Images.South Africa hikes key interest rate as Iran war drives inflation
The move positions South Africa at the vanguard of a small group of emerging markets hiking rates to cushion the impact of the Iran war.
US Ebola center in Kenya runs into legal hurdles
The US and Kenya signed an agreement to set up an Ebola biocontainment center for Americans exposed to the virus.
Blackstone’s VFS banks mega profits on African, Asian visa applicants
An investigation found VFS staff pressured to add costly auxiliary services for prospective travelers to Europe, UK.
Africa’s tax push is clashing with the reality of its informal economies
Critics argue the measures could slow digital adoption and push more activity back toward cash-based channels.
Security
Israeli Military/Handout via Reuters
Aaron Schwartz/Reuters
Ammar Awad/Reuters
Israel seizes Crusader castle in Lebanon
Israeli forces seized a 12th-century Crusader castle in southern Lebanon, as Israel intensifies its farthest incursion into the country in 26 years, despite a nominal ceasefire.
Israeli Military/Handout via ReutersNo breakthrough in US-Iran talks
A US-Iran peace agreement failed to materialize Sunday — just as negotiators appeared near the finish line — after President Donald Trump said he was in “no hurry” to strike a deal.
Aaron Schwartz/ReutersIsrael’s relations with Europe, UN erode
Israeli officials are set to be added to a UN blacklist of entities suspected of sexual violence in conflict zones.
Ammar Awad/ReutersMedia
Katie Jones/Variety/Penske Media via Getty Images
New York Public Radio’s new boss reorganizes the network
In her first four months on the job, Christy Tanner has swiftly eliminated many of NYPR’s seniormost figures.
Katie Jones/Variety/Penske Media via Getty ImagesBret Baier on golfing with Trump, his 2028 predictions, and making the case for civility
Fox News’ Special Report host Bret Baier joins Mixed Signals to talk about what it’s like to sit at the center of American political media.
The ‘completely new’ ‘60 Minutes’
Nick Bilton’s hire signals that Paramount CEO David Ellison and editor-in-chief Bari Weiss’ overhaul of CBS News will be radical and total.
Paramount appears to sway DOJ staff on Warner Bros. takeover
US antitrust regulators appear to approve Paramount’s $110 billion studio deal after a two-hour meeting at the Justice Department Tuesday, people familiar with the matter said.
Thousands of journalists’ data exposed to dark web
More than half of the exposures contained personal information such as names, phone numbers, dates of birth, and addresses, per a new study from Proton.
CEO SignalCourtesy of Cisco/Joey Pfeifer/Semafor 
Courtesy of Match Group/Joey Pfeifer/Semafor
Courtesy of Becton Dickinson/Joey Pfeifer/Semafor
How Cisco’s Chuck Robbins gets his team to ‘disagree and commit’
The longstanding CEO says a bad decision that you reverse is better than a delay.
Courtesy of Cisco/Joey Pfeifer/SemaforWhy an anxious AI romantic now drives Match Group’s dating apps
CEO Spencer Rascoff uses digital “personas” to help the Tinder owner understand its users.
Courtesy of Match Group/Joey Pfeifer/SemaforHow syringe-maker BD is infusing AI into its medical devices
CEO Tom Polen is turning his 65,000 employees into lean manufacturing “problem-finders.”
Courtesy of Becton Dickinson/Joey Pfeifer/SemaforAD