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View / Tehran should take Trump’s warning literally
View / China’s New Year Africa tour capitalizes on US controversies
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The Hungarian director Béla Tarr died this week; his movies, including Werckmeister Harmonies, are darkly comic, slow-moving, and difficult.
The Running Man by Stephen King, set in the dystopian faraway future of 2025, has “real pathos, and a point.”
Hasan Hadi’s The President’s Cake “captures the quiet fear and warped logic of everyday life” under the Ba’athist regime.
Saudi tightens grip on Yemen, deepening rift with UAE
The developments in Yemen, which remains divided between a Saudi-led coalition and the Iran-backed Houthis, carry regional and global implications.
Louiza Vradi/ReutersUS lobbyists see opportunity in Venezuela after Maduro capture
Trump is counting on investment from the US private sector to rebuild Venezuela’s economy. Lobbyists see an opening — and dollar signs.
Gaby Oraa/ReutersNew US visa bond rules likely to slash African travel
The new rules will require some Africans to post deposits of up to $15,000 to gain visa entry to the US.
Jeenah Moon/ReutersHow US traffic jams are driving Spain’s Ferrovial
CEO Ignacio Madridejos says a triple listing has drawn new investors to a European infrastructure powerhouse.
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Trump’s Hill honeymoon ends as Congress begins to stir
The president’s outburst toward five Republican senators who crossed him on Venezuela is just one sign of a broader shift.
Leah Millis/ReutersSudan war marks 1000 days of fighting
Peace talks in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have failed, with attention increasingly focused on the international actors fueling the war.
El Tayeb Siddig/ReutersCostco stays silent on tariff refunds as Supreme Court ruling looms
Costco was among the largest of more than 1,000 retailers that sued the Trump administration over its imposition of tariffs.
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Politics
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The business of a viral Substack scandal isn’t as good as you think, Ryan Lizza says
“On the money part, not enough,” Lizza said on Semafor’s “Mixed Signals” podcast when asked about how much money he made off of the 25,000-word series.
Tehran should take Trump’s warning literally
The US president’s handling of Venezuela sent a message to adversaries: red lines aren’t theoretical.
Kamran/Middle East Images/AFP via GettyDebatable: Maduro and the drug fight
Some doubt Trump officials’ claims that Nicolás Maduro’s capture is about suffocating the narcotics trade.
Jane Rosenberg/ReutersFannie, Freddie to buy US mortgage bonds, agency chief says
President Donald Trump had said he wanted his “representatives” to buy the bonds in an effort to push mortgage rates lower.
Fed to gain more clarity with December jobs report
The Bureau of Labor Statistics said earlier this week that the number of job openings hit a 14-month low in November.
Democrats request public hearings on US action in Venezuela
Congress was privately briefed this week, but the Democrats say that there’s more to do.
Trump’s Hill honeymoon ends as Congress begins to stir
The president’s outburst toward five Republican senators who crossed him on Venezuela is just one sign of a broader shift.
Trump to meet with Colombian president as tensions escalate
Trump said a potential operation in Colombia “sounds good,” shortly after US troops captured Venezuela’s leader.
Trump faces widespread backlash over Greenland threats
The UK — usually keen to maintain warm relations with Trump — said the island should decide its own future.
Republicans’ conflict over health care plan deepens
Nine House Republicans voted to advance Democrats’ three-year subsidy extension on Wednesday.
House Republicans move to rebuke Trump on two fronts
They plan to override recent vetoes of two GOP-backed bills for projects in Florida and Colorado.
Business
Li Zhihua/China News Service/VCG via Getty Images
Youth projected to fare better than old over AI disruptions
Workers under 30 can switch career paths more easily, Goldman Sachs analysts said, while older workers may face the highest earnings losses.
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How Bob Jordan charted a new course for Southwest Airlines
The budget carrier’s CEO says communications and simulations helped it overhaul its business without killing its culture and business model.
Warner Bros. wants more money from Paramount, but neither side is willing to blink
The standoff is starting to annoy big shareholders.
US lobbyists see opportunity in Venezuela after Maduro capture
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Technology
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Gmail gets Gemini, but falls short of true agentic AI
Google announced Thursday it will integrate Gemini into Gmail, adding functionalities of a personal assistant, but it’s not quite as extensive as agentic AI.
Google Workspace/YouTubeWhy AI could mark the end of Big Tech’s invincibility
The outrage over Grok’s chatbot update that allowed the creation of sexually suggestive deepfakes could be the catalyst for tighter tech regulations.
Dado Ruvic/Illustration/ReutersLego’s biggest new brick upgrade in decades divides fans
The “Smart Brick” looks similar to a traditional Lego block but includes a chip allowing it to flash, make sounds, and react to other so-called smart Lego pieces.
Big Tech set for relief on Europe’s digital rules overhaul
Regulators are reportedly expected to ease the Digital Networks Act, which aims to modernize and unify the EU’s telecom market.
Youth projected to fare better than old over AI disruptions
Workers under 30 can switch career paths more easily, Goldman Sachs analysts said, while older workers may face the highest earnings losses.
Beijing reportedly set to approve imports of Nvidia chips
The decision would be a significant win for the US chip giant.
Energy
Luc Gnago/File Photo/Reuters
The Nasdaq Market site on the day that shares of Trump Media & Technology Group started trading. Shannon Stapleton/Reuters
Stringer/File Photo/Reuters
Mining giants Glencore, Rio Tinto revive merger talks
The proposed merger would create the world’s largest mining company as global demand surges for metals and minerals.
Luc Gnago/File Photo/ReutersTrump media company announces plans for first fusion power plant
The US president’s social media company said that construction of the country’s first fusion power plant will begin in 2026.
The Nasdaq Market site on the day that shares of Trump Media & Technology Group started trading. Shannon Stapleton/ReutersGlobal climate tech investment grows in 2025
Total investment hit $40.5 billion, according to a new analysis from Sightline Climate.
Stringer/File Photo/ReutersGulfKamran/Middle East Images/AFP via Getty
Tehran should take Trump’s warning literally
The US president’s handling of Venezuela sent a message to adversaries: red lines aren’t theoretical.
Kamran/Middle East Images/AFP via GettyGulf project spend plummeted in 2025, preliminary data shows
The drop was mainly caused by delayed megaprojects and a drop in energy sector spending, according to an analysis from MEED.
Influencers flock to Dubai for 1 Billion Followers Summit
Touted as the world’s largest gathering for content creators, the three-day event kicked off Friday with 30,000 attendees expected.
Saudi tightens grip on Yemen, deepening rift with UAE
The developments in Yemen, which remains divided between a Saudi-led coalition and the Iran-backed Houthis, carry regional and global implications.
Kuwait deports thousands of foreign workers in nationality crackdown
Nearly 40,000 expatriates were deported from Kuwait in 2025, and 69 citizens and their dependents were stripped of their nationality, Arab Times reported.
Africa
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and African Union chief Mahmoud Ali Youssouf. African Union/Handout via Reuters.El Tayeb Siddig/Reuters
China’s New Year Africa tour capitalizes on US controversies
While the tour is traditional for Chinese foreign ministers, it would be naive to pretend that recent shocks did not shape which capitals made the itinerary.
Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi and African Union chief Mahmoud Ali Youssouf. African Union/Handout via Reuters.Sudan war marks 1000 days of fighting
Peace talks in Saudi Arabia and Bahrain have failed, with attention increasingly focused on the international actors fueling the war.
El Tayeb Siddig/ReutersNew US visa bond rules likely to slash African travel
The new rules will require some Africans to post deposits of up to $15,000 to gain visa entry to the US.
African startup investment bounced back in 2025
African startups raised $3.2 billion in 2025, the highest amount in three years.
Kenya licenses 42 new digital lenders as it seeks to capitalize on mobile money
The country has one of the most advanced mobile money ecosystems in emerging markets.
IMF Africa chief Abebe Aemro Selassie to step down
The Ethiopian economist has held the role since 2016.
Security
Ludovic Marin/Pool via Reuters
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Europe agrees to provide military support for Ukraine
Under the proposed peace deal, Britain and France would supply troops and weapons to Ukraine as part of US-backed security guarantees.
Ludovic Marin/Pool via ReutersWashington ups threats to buy or take Greenland
The remarks by the White House press secretary and the US secretary of state came after European leaders voiced solidarity with Copenhagen.
Marko Djurica/File Photo/ReutersChina-Japan feud escalates after Beijing unveils export curbs
The raft of export restrictions included goods with potential military applications.
Stringer/ReutersMedia
The business of a viral Substack scandal isn’t as good as you think, Ryan Lizza says
“On the money part, not enough,” Lizza said on Semafor’s “Mixed Signals” podcast when asked about how much money he made off of the 25,000-word series.
Ryan Lizza on Olivia Nuzzi, RFK Jr., and the Substack-ification of a scandal
The media veteran joins Mixed Signals for a raw, sprawling conversation about why he chose to publish an eight-part (and counting) Substack series responding to the most personal and public crisis of his career.
New anchor Dokoupil sets the tone for ‘CBS Evening News’
In his opening monologue, Tony Dokoupil lamented that his colleagues in the news business had leaned too much into the perspectives of subject matter experts.
Kevin O’Leary on playing the villain and turning attention into power
Shark Tank’s Kevin O’Leary joins Mixed Signals to talk about his buzzy turn as a ruthless tycoon in Marty Supreme — and how it felt playing a fictionalized version of himself.
Audiobook growth contrasts with print
Overall, sales of audio versions of books grew 1% in the year through October after rising more than 20% in 2024.
CEO SignalCourtesy of Ferrovial/Joey Pfeifer/Semafor 
Courtesy of Southwest/Joey Pfeifer/Semafor
Courtesy of WPP/Joey Pfeifer/Semafor
How US traffic jams are driving Spain’s Ferrovial
CEO Ignacio Madridejos says a triple listing has drawn new investors to a European infrastructure powerhouse.
Courtesy of Ferrovial/Joey Pfeifer/SemaforHow Bob Jordan charted a new course for Southwest Airlines
The budget carrier’s CEO says communications and simulations helped it overhaul its business without killing its culture and business model.
Courtesy of Southwest/Joey Pfeifer/Semafor‘AI is going to automate the ordinary’: Cindy Rose’s plan for ad giant WPP
The admaker has fallen behind its peers, but the Microsoft veteran sees opportunity in disruption.
Courtesy of WPP/Joey Pfeifer/SemaforAD