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Intelligence for the New World Economy
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The World at a Glance
Updated 4:37am EST
1
Canada’s prime minister argued US aggression and protectionism had triggered a ‘rupture’ in the global order
2US stocks suffered their worst day since October as transatlantic tensions flared over Donald Trump’s efforts to seize Greenland.
3Europe must swap flattery for firmness in responding to Donald Trump’s Greenland campaign, prominent European voices argued.
4India inked a $3 billion LNG deal with the UAE and is nearing a historic trade agreement with the EU, as New Delhi diversifies trade amid US pressure.
5The UK approved plans for China’s new mega-embassy in London, smoothing the path for Prime Minister Keir Starmer to visit China later this month.
6China’s top solar panel companies estimated they lost up to $5.5 billion last year despite the government’s efforts to rein in a punishing price war.
US foreign debt an ‘enormous vulnerability,’ says Bridgewater’s Dalio
His warning came as global investors finally appeared spooked by Trump’s Greenland threats.
Ray Dalio speaking to Semafor’s Liz Hoffman. Firebird Films/Semafor.Trump’s ‘Board of Peace’ for Gaza faces scrutiny
Topping the list of concerns from allies is the proposal for nations to pay $1 billion for a permanent board spot.
Amir Cohen/Reuters Stocks tumble as tension builds over Trump’s Greenland threats
US stocks suffered their worst day since October on Tuesday as transatlantic tensions flared over US President Donald Trump’s efforts to seize Greenland.
Brendan McDermid/File Photo/ReutersIs 2026 the year the Davos consensus finally gets it right?
Dare to dream.
Denis Balibouse/ReutersAD
Trump to hold Greenland talks in Davos as Europe’s alarm mounts
The US president reiterated his desire to seize the Danish territory, describing it as “imperative.”
Mads Claus Rasmussen/Ritzau Scanpix/via ReutersBlackRock’s Larry Fink says Davos feels ‘out of step’ to many
Despite this year’s record attendance, Davos faces a growing perception as an echo chamber, BlackRock’s CEO told Semafor.
Tyrone Siu/ReutersCEOs at Davos brace for Trump
The US president plans to convene a group of corporate executives Wednesday evening after his anticipated speech at the World Economic Forum, though the agenda is unclear.
Denis Balibouse/Reuters
Politics
Jonathan Ernst/Reuters
Spencer Platt/Getty Images 
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
US senators face mounting primary threats
Three senators face major primary challenges this year.
Jonathan Ernst/ReutersTrump administration blocks funding for public broadcasting, rail projects
The Gateway Tunnel project is among those affected.
Spencer Platt/Getty Images Supreme Court weighs Trump’s effort to bend the Fed
Fed Chairman Jerome Powell is expected to attend the arguments.
Kevin Lamarque/ReutersTrump’s ‘Board of Peace’ for Gaza faces scrutiny
Topping the list of concerns from allies is the proposal for nations to pay $1 billion for a permanent board spot.
Trump’s play for Greenland blunts economic agenda at home
Investors flinched Tuesday after the president said he would impose tariffs on the Danish territory’s European defenders.
Australia tightens its gun laws as US seeks to loosen
The Australian parliament voted in favor of tougher gun control laws after the Bondi Beach shooting in December that killed 15.
Talarico makes rounds with Democrats as Senate primaries near
The Texas state lawmaker is piquing Senate Democrats’ interest.
Oil firms grapple with uncertainty over Venezuela licenses
Oil firms who want to invest in the country are waiting on the Treasury Department.
Trump escalates tensions over Greenland, plans Davos meeting
The US president is set to rub elbows with many of the officials who oppose his efforts.
Trump’s row over Greenland escalates, risking US-Europe ties
The stunning row has consequences far beyond the largely uninhabited landmass, potentially “tearing NATO apart,” The Economist said.
Debatable: Venezuela elections
As opposition leader María Corina Machado meets the US president, Washington is divided on when Venezuela should hold elections.
BusinessDenis Balibouse/Reuters
Is 2026 the year the Davos consensus finally gets it right?
Dare to dream.
Denis Balibouse/ReutersLittle evidence of US slowdown, says BofA’s Moynihan
One year into the Trump administration, a lot of the confusion is “actually settled in that people can predict a business plan and then go on,” Brian Moynihan told Semafor.
US foreign debt an ‘enormous vulnerability,’ says Bridgewater’s Dalio
His warning came as global investors finally appeared spooked by Trump’s Greenland threats.
China could fill AI power vacuum, Google’s Porat warns
If China goes into countries where the US is absent, Beijing will be able to execute a timeworn playbook.
Chinese tourism to Japan plummets following Taiwan spat
Beijing urged its citizens not to travel to Japan after its prime minister said her country may support Taiwan militarily.
Technology
Courtesy of ControlUp
Eva Manez/Reuters
Jerusalem VC looks to ‘go bigger’ in Dubai, post-Gaza
JVP sees AI as crucial to spurring economic cooperation with the UAE.
Courtesy of ControlUpNew AI seeks to make water safer
Researchers have developed a machine learning model that helps identify possibly toxic byproducts from water disinfection.
Eva Manez/ReutersBehind Perplexity’s bid for Chrome
It turns out that Perplexity’s $34.5 billion unsolicited bid for Google Chrome last year was not a publicity stunt. The company explains why.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth jabs Anthropic over safety policies
Hegseth’s remark about AI models was specifically in reference to Anthropic, sources say.
Musk’s Starlink increasingly vital to protests
The satellite broadband network has allowed citizens to bypass government-imposed internet blackouts.
New York judge flips the AI malpractice debate
A New York district judge warns that AI could become so good that not using the technology would be an improper practice in some industries.
Energy
Ueslei Marcelino/Reuters
Audrey Richardson/File Photo/Reuters
Amazon data center. Noah Berger for AWS/Reuters.
EIA reveals illegal logging operation in Brazil
The operation covered 5,000 hectares of pristine forest in Indigenous Territory in Brazil’s Pará state, the capital of COP30 host Belém.
Ueslei Marcelino/ReutersUS data center load set to double by 2028, report finds
By 2028, Texas alone is projected to exceed 40GW of capacity, nearly 30% of the US total, according to Bloom Energy.
Audrey Richardson/File Photo/ReutersData center developers pull back from real estate
David Steinbach, chief investment officer of one of the top global real estate investment firms, spoke to Semafor.
Amazon data center. Noah Berger for AWS/Reuters.Gulf
Courtesy of the Ministry of Economy and Planning
Gulf states are more than ATMs at Davos
The World Economic Forum helps oil-rich countries frame themselves as both a destination and a source of capital.
Courtesy of the Ministry of Economy and Planning Buy US stocks and gold, Standard Chartered CIO says
US stocks and gold are on a historic run, and the top investment pick for 2026 is to buy more, Manpreet Singh Gil said at a briefing in Dubai.
Islamic bank Mal raises $230M in Gulf’s largest seed round
The bank is being led by Abdallah Abu-Sheikh, a UAE-based businessman who previously founded Botim, an internet calling app.
Abu Dhabi’s ALTÉRRA and Spain’s BBVA launch climate fund
The proposed $1.2 billion fund will back climate-aligned infrastructure, private credit, and private equity.
The NBA courts Gulf funds for new European league
Sovereign wealth funds have long had designs on the NBA but can’t own more than 20% of a basketball franchise in the US.
Africa
Shola Akinlade, co-Founder and CEO of Paystack. Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for Semafor.
A species of darkling beetle found in the US. Robert Alexander/Getty Images.
Paystack eyes growth beyond payments with restructuring
The Nigerian payments processor, acquired by fintech giant Stripe five years ago, launches a new parent holding company to offer banking and consumer finance.
Shola Akinlade, co-Founder and CEO of Paystack. Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for Semafor.Scientists discover Namib Desert beetle cools down when running
The Onymacris plana, a darkling beetle, is the first known land animal that gets cooler as it exercises, scientists said.
A species of darkling beetle found in the US. Robert Alexander/Getty Images.Jobs creation must be top of African leaders’ agenda
Africa will experience the fastest labor-force growth of any region in the decades ahead.
Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni wins seventh term
The elections were widely criticized by the UN and rights groups for severe repression of the opposition.
Mali’s gold output fell 23% on Barrick Mining suspension
The result underscores the challenges faced by African governments trying to secure a greater share of mineral wealth.
Absa executive calls for more banking partnerships to meet infrastructure goals
The era of individual banks single-handedly underwriting large projects is effectively over, said Charles Russon.
Security
Issei Kato/File Photo/Reuters
Majid Asgaripour/WANA via Reuters
Stringer/Reuters
Chinese tourism to Japan plummets following Taiwan spat
Beijing urged its citizens not to travel to Japan after its prime minister said her country may support Taiwan militarily.
Issei Kato/File Photo/ReutersThreat of US strike on Iran appears to wane
Officials reportedly advised US President Donald Trump that an attack would be unlikely to topple the government.
Majid Asgaripour/WANA via ReutersDefense stocks surge on rising calls for militarization
Donald Trump’s calls for a more than 50% increase to his country’s military budget have lifted the valuations of domestic arms firms.
Stringer/ReutersMedia
Matt Damon, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, and Ben Affleck. Jeenah Moon/Reuters
Streaming giants push filmmakers to adapt to ‘double screening’
Viewers are increasingly watching films and TV while also looking at their smartphones.
Matt Damon, Netflix CEO Ted Sarandos, and Ben Affleck. Jeenah Moon/ReutersDie Welt editor departed amid internal inquiry
The editor of Germany’s Die Welt had been the subject of internal scrutiny in recent days by the newspaper’s parent company.
Undersecretary Sarah Rogers on free speech, Europe’s tech crackdown, and the internet she misses
The State Department’s undersecretary for public diplomacy joins Mixed Signals for a wide-ranging conversation about free speech, tech regulation, and why she’s been rattling the patience of some European governments.
Politico announces layoffs, new product
The publication will cut about 3% of its 750-strong global staff.
Blackstone invests $100M in elite marketing tech firm
Applecart has a leading place in an emerging but discreet cohort of companies and organizations aimed at reaching key figures in industry and government.
CEO Signal
Courtesy 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