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View / The energy trap at the heart of Africa’s stalled industrialization
View / The 2025 media lesson: Talk to everyone
The World at a Glance
Updated 8:31am EST
1
Saudi Arabia stepped up the number of executions conducted this year, part of a deadly crackdown on dissent.
2Japan is due to greenlight the opening of the world’s largest nuclear reactor, part of a wider nuclear renaissance.
3CBS News delayed airing a documentary after the White House refused to comment, raising questions of editorial independence.
4US Vice President JD Vance refused to take sides in the ongoing row over antisemitism, at a major conservative conference.
5French President Emmanuel Macron said his country would build its first aircraft carrier in decades.
6US and Ukrainian officials hailed ‘productive’ talks in Miami, though there was no major breakthrough on Ukraine.
Budget chair Graham plots next Republican party-line bill
Graham said it would be “political malpractice” not to do another reconciliation bill.
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters ‘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/Semafor‘We’ve got work to do’: The new CEO aiming at an elevated Target
Michael Fiddelke says a clearer focus and simpler messaging can return the retailer to growth.
Courtesy of Target/Joey Pfeifer/SemaforIs Alex Karp for real?
The Palantir CEO, accused by the left of opportunism and the right of building a surveillance state, opens up.
Brendan McDermid/ReutersAD
TikTok’s deal to divest US operations fails to satisfy China hawks
Critics are taking issue with the fact that the content recommendation algorithm, TikTok’s secret sauce, will be licensed from ByteDance.
Dado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters‘Our favorite monopolists’: How Keurig kept its iron grip on coffee pods
A pending deal between Keurig and Peet’s would create a global coffee giant and bring one of Keurig’s biggest customers in-house.
Joey Pfeifer/SemaforKenya pushes back as US eyes more African health deals
A handful of countries have signed agreements with Washington but a Kenyan court case has raised growing data privacy concerns.
Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters
Politics
Al Drago/Reuters Jonathan Ernst/Reuters 
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters
Sacks, Witkoff could face ethics probe over UAE deals
The Trump officials’ involvement in a decision to allow export of advanced US-made chips to the UAE has come under scrutiny from Democrats.
Al Drago/Reuters Budget chair Graham plots next Republican party-line bill
Graham said it would be “political malpractice” not to do another reconciliation bill.
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters The 2025 media lesson: Talk to everyone
Washington figures retreat into friendly media bubbles at their peril.
Evelyn Hockstein/Reuters Congress eyes hearings on Warner Bros. Discovery battle — but nothing binding
There’s little prospect for passage of any legislation that might affect Netflix’s or Paramount’s bids in time.
Turning Point USA conference shows deepening divisions on US right
A conference featuring some of the US’ most prominent conservative figures revealed an American right marred by divisions over its future.
US issues tough demands over Canada-Mexico trade deal
The remarks by the US’ top trade official will buoy Mexican and Canadian officials, after Donald Trump suggested he may allow the deal to lapse.
Hawley’s populist policies in sync with Missouri voters, poll finds
Republican Sen. Josh Hawley’s stances are pretty popular in a conservative state like Missouri.
White House faces down deadline to release Epstein case files
Not that you’d know it from watching the White House.
Economists warn of distorted inflation data as White House touts new report
Thursday’s inflation report could end up being less instructive than usual.
Debatable: Mifepristone review
Some conservatives have called for the FDA commissioner to be fired over a delayed review. Others aren’t taking it that far.
Democrats steer away from another shutdown fight
Even progressives who disliked the deal to end the shutdown said the party is not talking about plunging into another one.
Business
Encore / company handout
Can corporate events be sexy? This IPO-bound company thinks so.
The Blackstone-owned company is getting ready for an IPO, off the back of its strongest year ever.
Encore / company handoutTaiwan ramps up plans for overseas chipmaking as threat from China looms
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world’s dominant chipmaker, is accelerating plans to expand abroad.
US issues tough demands over Canada-Mexico trade deal
The remarks by the US’ top trade official will buoy Mexican and Canadian officials, after Donald Trump suggested he may allow the deal to lapse.
America is becoming the world’s dumb money
The US’ capitalism is losing its way even as other countries are moving away from suboptimal and clunky state-run economies.
‘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.
TechnologyDado Ruvic/Illustration/Reuters 
ASML employees in Veldhoven. Michael Kooren/Reuters
TikTok’s deal to divest US operations fails to satisfy China hawks
Critics are taking issue with the fact that the content recommendation algorithm, TikTok’s secret sauce, will be licensed from ByteDance.
Dado Ruvic/Illustration/ReutersChina advances on its AI ‘Manhattan Project:’ Reuters
The extreme ultraviolet lithography system was built by former engineers of Dutch semiconductor giant ASML.
ASML employees in Veldhoven. Michael Kooren/ReutersUPS tests AI tool to spot fake returns
The AI technology itself isn’t new, but UPS’ adoption of it brings new scale to the billion-dollar problem.
Is Alex Karp for real?
The Palantir CEO, accused by the left of opportunism and the right of building a surveillance state, opens up.
Taiwan ramps up plans for overseas chipmaking as threat from China looms
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., the world’s dominant chipmaker, is accelerating plans to expand abroad.
Startup uses AI to recycle scraps into new fabrics
The company’s AI model uses a processing machine to tweak and alter the fibers within the scrap materials.
Energy
Issei Kato/Reuters
Stephane Mahe/Pool/File Photo/Reuters
Tingshu Wang/Reuters
Japan to reopen world’s largest nuclear reactor
Kashiwazaki-Kariwa was one of 54 reactors shuttered after the 2011 earthquake that triggered the Fukushima nuclear meltdown.
Issei Kato/ReutersOffshore wind farms are helping marine life, research suggests
The study found that the wind turbine foundations allow sessile organisms — immobile living things like barnacles, sea sponges, and algae — to thrive.
Stephane Mahe/Pool/File Photo/ReutersChina solar firms launch consolidation fund to tackle overcapacity
Chinese solar panel manufacturers dominate the global landscape to the extent that, at one point, they produced twice as many panels as the global demand.
Tingshu Wang/ReutersGulf
Hamad I Mohammed/Reuters
Saudi Arabia steps up number of executions for second year
At least 347 people have been executed in the kingdom so far this year, including government critics and at least one journalist, the BBC reported.
Hamad I Mohammed/ReutersOman’s United Solar to receive $30m from Waaree Solar Americas
The deal was finalized during Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent visit to Muscat.
Abu Dhabi-based G42 taps out of Cerebras
The California chipmaker is preparing to file for a US IPO as soon as this week, but its plans to go public have been delayed by its G42 ties.
Universal Studios to build theme park in Saudi Arabia
Comcast Chief Executive Brian Roberts recently visited a government-backed entertainment district that could be home to the venue.
IMF urges speed of reform in Bahrain to bolster finances
The Gulf’s most-indebted nation needs to “accelerate the program of fiscal reforms” while keeping fiscal policy “tight,” said Jihad Azour, IMF Middle East and Central Asia director.
Africa
Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema. Jekesai Njikizana/AFP via Getty Images.
Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo/Reuters
Zambia amends its constitution ahead of election
President Hakainde Hichilema said some constituencies should be split into smaller ones in changes that will also increase the number of lawmakers.
Zambia President Hakainde Hichilema. Jekesai Njikizana/AFP via Getty Images.Botswana’s economy forecast to shrink as diamond sector slumps
Botswana, the world’s largest producer of diamonds by value, relies on the precious stones for around one-third of its national revenue.
Siphiwe Sibeko/File Photo/ReutersNigerian oil giant Heirs Energies secures $750M loan
The oil producer hopes to boost investment into an oil field that has doubled in capacity in four years.
US plans to fund controversial hepatitis B vaccine trial in Guinea-Bissau
Washington is sending $1.6 million to a Danish research group “with ties to the US anti-vaccine movement,” reported NOTUS.
The energy trap at the heart of Africa’s stalled industrialization
How does the continent get out of a self-reinforcing cycle of low energy and low productivity?
Ghana asks US to extradite former finance minister accused of corruption
Ken Ofori-Atta stands accused of causing financial losses while he was in government.
Security
Valentyn Ogirenko/File Photo/Reuters
Thomas Peter/Reuters
Seaman Abigail Reyes/US Navy/Handout via Reuters
EU leaders agree to loan $105B to Ukraine
The agreement comes after separate efforts to leverage frozen Russian assets in order to help Kyiv stumbled.
Valentyn Ogirenko/File Photo/ReutersUkraine’s grid confronts the possibility of total collapse
The new CEO of Ukrenergo said renewables and savvy engineering are key to a defensive strategy to keep the lights on.
Thomas Peter/ReutersUS passes $900B defense bill as West ramps up military spending
Germany also passed a major bill agreeing €50 billion in defense spending, while the UK is set to unveil its military outlays in the new year.
Seaman Abigail Reyes/US Navy/Handout via ReutersMedia
CBS Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss. Mike Blake/Reuters
CBS’ independence queried after documentary delay
The network pulled a scheduled documentary on the deportations of migrants to El Salvador.
CBS Editor-in-Chief Bari Weiss. Mike Blake/ReutersThe right-wing media feud is JD Vance’s problem
The conspiracy theories that fueled conservative media are causing the right to eat itself.
Netflix inks slate of podcast video deals
In recent months, the company has ramped up talks with most major podcast companies and top talent.
The 2025 media lesson: Talk to everyone
Washington figures retreat into friendly media bubbles at their peril.
Instagram’s Adam Mosseri on how to beat TikTok — on your phone and in your living room
Mosseri laid out Instagram’s vision for its role on television and the path for its next several years of growth.
CEO SignalCourtesy of WPP/Joey Pfeifer/Semafor Courtesy of Target/Joey Pfeifer/Semafor 
Courtesy of Lyft/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/Semafor‘We’ve got work to do’: The new CEO aiming at an elevated Target
Michael Fiddelke says a clearer focus and simpler messaging can return the retailer to growth.
Courtesy of Target/Joey Pfeifer/SemaforHow Lyft’s David Risher seized his ‘wet cement’ moment
The CEO of the No. 2 in US ridesharing says there’s more to growth than catching ‘the other guys.’
Courtesy of Lyft/Joey Pfeifer/SemaforAD