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View/ Future of multilateralism in question at G20
Epstein files bill suddenly speeding to Trump’s desk
The World at a Glance
Updated 6:51am EST
1
Investors will be closely watching US chip giant Nvidia’s earnings results today, amid concerns over an AI bubble.
2Meta won a major victory over US antitrust regulators, paving the way for a new era of tech mergers.
3Africa experts said the upcoming G20 summit should focus on debt refinancing for low-income countries hit by soaring debt payments.
4The US is working to revive Ukraine peace talks, with a top envoy set to meet President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in Türkiye.
5Donald Trump and Mohammed bin Salman inked a raft of deals during the crown prince’s visit to the White House, deepening bilateral ties.
6A successful push to increase HPV vaccine access will prevent around 1.4 million deaths from cervical cancer.
South Africa’s digital minister rejects preferential treatment for Starlink
Digital Minister Solly Malatsi said that foreign firms should not be allowed to leapfrog local requirements.
South Africa’s Digital Minister Solly Malatsi. Semafor.Congress mimics Trump’s Saudi embrace
Even many Democrats shifted their focus from past bipartisan worries over human rights as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived.
Jessica Koscielniak/ReutersSouth Africa’s G20 struggles haven’t all been for nothing
Pretoria has had a tough few weeks with the US’ dramatic withdrawal from the G20 summit, and the no-show from China’s leader.
Leah Millis/ReutersUS pushes through new series of oil and gas deals
Saudi Aramco is expected to sign two deals to import US liquefied natural gas.
Brian Snyder/File Photo Preview/ReutersAD
US investor in Saudi soccer looks to women’s teams
A tech investor is adopting AI and “Moneyball” tactics to compete against Saudi wealth fund-backed soccer clubs.
Courtesy of SPAGoogle releases highly anticipated Gemini 3
The latest version hints at what may become Google’s edge in the race between frontier AI models.
Lisi Niesner/File Photo/ReutersSaudi crown prince visits US with defense, AI on agenda
MBS arrives in Washington this week seeking to cement his country’s deepening alliance with the US.
Saudi Press Agency/Handout via Reuters
Politics
Tom Brenner/Reuters
Evelyn Hockstein/ReutersJessica Koscielniak/Reuters
Trump and MBS solidify US-Saudi ties at White House visit
Washington designated Saudi Arabia a major non-NATO ally, while Riyadh pledged to invest $1 trillion in the US.
Tom Brenner/ReutersMeasure allowing senators to sue DOJ splits Republicans
Senate Republicans are divided over whether to repeal the language, which was inserted in last week’s spending deal.
Evelyn Hockstein/ReutersCongress mimics Trump’s Saudi embrace
Even many Democrats shifted their focus from past bipartisan worries over human rights as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived.
Jessica Koscielniak/ReutersEpstein files bill suddenly speeding to Trump’s desk
The overwhelming House vote on Tuesday sets the stage for a likely Senate passage as soon as this week.
Conflict with China would devastate pharmaceutical supply chain, Biden’s drug czar says
“It will be like having car factories without car parts,” Dr. Rahul Gupta said at Semafor’s Future of Health Forum.
House Democrat: ‘Madness’ to expect bipartisan health care deal by December
Speaking at a Semafor event, Rep. Becca Balint declined to rule out another government shutdown in January.
US House expected to pass bill forcing Epstein files’ release
President Donald Trump said Monday he would sign the legislation if the Senate passes it.
Almost half of Americans fear they can’t afford health care: Poll
One in five Americans said they or someone in their household couldn’t afford a prescription in the last three months.
Trump key to any health care negotiations in Senate
There’s no sign yet of a real bipartisan negotiation on expiring subsidies.
What to watch for as Trump welcomes Saudi crown prince
The visit, which will include a trip to the US Capitol, is being closely watched at home and in the Gulf.
Poll: As Trump loses ground with Latinos, Democrats still lag
President Donald Trump has lost most of his 2024 gains with Latino voters, a new poll found.
Business
Kevin Lamarque/Reuters
Trump’s SEC entices corporate America to defy shareholders
SEC Chair Paul Atkins said the agency will “not respond to… and express no views on” companies’ decisions to exclude shareholder proposals from corporate ballots.
Kevin Lamarque/ReutersEconomists spar over Lina Khan’s plan to cut stadium beer prices
The former FTC commissioner’s role in NYC Mayor-elect Zohran Mamdani’s affordability efforts is part of a new romance with price controls.
US jobs data blackout will be lifted, but not economic gloom
The government will release September’s jobs report on Thursday, ending a nearly seven-week data void that confounded policymakers.
Momentum builds in Europe’s banking hub
Strategic moves by UBS and Deutsche Bank signal a make-or-break moment for Europe’s long-troubled banking sector
Amazon raises $15B in latest Big Tech bond sale
Big Tech giants have embraced borrowing to fund their ambitious AI buildouts.
Technology
Brendan McDermid/Reuters
Carlos Barria/Reuters
Investors eye Nvidia results amid bubble fears
Markets have suffered sharp losses in recent days on growing fears of an AI bubble.
Brendan McDermid/ReutersMeta wins ‘sweeping’ antitrust victory in US court
A US judge ruled that Meta does not have an illegal monopoly, a decision that could pave the way for a new era of tech mergers and acquisitions.
Carlos Barria/ReutersGoogle releases highly anticipated Gemini 3
The latest version hints at what may become Google’s edge in the race between frontier AI models.
Cloudflare outage takes down large parts of the internet
Cloudflare’s collapse hit X and AI chatbots Claude and ChatGPT, among dozens of other websites.
Global markets retreat on fears of tech bubble
The rout, partly fueled by investors’ worries of a US equities bubble, led to the Dow Jones Industrial Average’s worst three-day stretch in months.
Spotting cybercrime is working for Anthropic’s marketing
The company said it had successfully struck down attempts by a perceived Chinese state-sponsored group that succeeded in hacking a “small number” of global targets.
EnergyBrian Snyder/File Photo Preview/Reuters 
Adriano Machado/Reuters
Stoyan Nenov/File Photo/Reuters
US pushes through new series of oil and gas deals
Saudi Aramco is expected to sign two deals to import US liquefied natural gas.
Brian Snyder/File Photo Preview/ReutersRich nations not contributing ‘fair share’ of climate funding, report finds
The ODI think tank calculated each nation’s fair share based on historical responsibility for cumulative emissions, GDP, and population.
Adriano Machado/ReutersUS sanctions on Russia’s Lukoil impede methane cuts
US sanctions saw Lukoil suspended from a coalition of oil majors working together to reduce their methane emissions.
Stoyan Nenov/File Photo/ReutersGulf
Brian Snyder/Reuters
Trump’s deals with Saudi are a two-way street
Saudi Arabia’s economic transformation intersects with the business interests of the first billionaire US president.
Brian Snyder/ReutersTrump and MBS solidify US-Saudi ties at White House visit
Washington designated Saudi Arabia a major non-NATO ally, while Riyadh pledged to invest $1 trillion in the US.
Saudi wealth does have a bottom. Trump is about to find it.
The kingdom’s crown prince arrives in Washington in search of deals, to meet with a president who wants the same. Where does the money come from?
Saudi set to announce slew of AI deals with US firms
The US will grant Saudi Arabia access to the latest AI chips as part of data center deals with tech giants.
US investor in Saudi soccer looks to women’s teams
A tech investor is adopting AI and “Moneyball” tactics to compete against Saudi wealth fund-backed soccer clubs.
Africa
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa. Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters.
Semafor
Future of multilateralism in question at G20
The issue dictates how businesses approach global expansion to political issues surrounding migration and trade diplomacy.
South Africa’s President Cyril Ramaphosa. Siphiwe Sibeko/Reuters.South Africa must avoid the ‘weaponization of trade’: special envoy
Mcebisi Jonas, a former deputy finance minister, said the country must diversify its commercial ties and protect itself from the fallout of a global transition away from multilateralism.
SemaforAI fintech Optasia eyes major Africa expansion
The company uses machine learning to provide micro-financing and mobile phone credit to people who often don’t have traditional bank accounts.
Africa needs more green financing to unlock growth: report
Productivity growth in Angola, Nigeria, South Africa, and Zambia has slowed over the last decade, S&P noted.
South Africa’s digital minister rejects preferential treatment for Starlink
Digital Minister Solly Malatsi said that foreign firms should not be allowed to leapfrog local requirements.
South Africa’s G20 struggles haven’t all been for nothing
Pretoria has had a tough few weeks with the US’ dramatic withdrawal from the G20 summit, and the no-show from China’s leader.
Security
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy via Telegram/Handout via Reuters
KPRM/Handout via Reuters
U.S. Navy/Petty Officer 3rd Class Gladjimi Balisage/Handout via Reuters
US officials scramble to revive Ukraine peace talks
The Trump administration has been secretly working with the Kremlin on a new peace plan, Axios reported.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy via Telegram/Handout via ReutersPoland calls train explosion ‘sabotage,’ implying Russian involvement
The incident was the latest in a series of episodes across Europe for which authorities have suggested Moscow was responsible.
KPRM/Handout via ReutersTrump threatens more strikes across Latin America
The US president said yesterday he would be “proud” to extend attacks to include land targets in Colombia, Mexico, and Venezuela.
U.S. Navy/Petty Officer 3rd Class Gladjimi Balisage/Handout via ReutersMedia
Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images
Vox to partner with Patreon for new paywalled shows
Vox said it hopes to supplement its shows with live newsroom conversations and community features such as chats.
Thomas Fuller/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty ImagesThe old MSNBC relaunches into a new media world
The network, now called MS NOW, is in the midst of its biggest gamble since it launched in 1996.
An unpublished profile raises questions about Epstein — and journalism
Buried deep in the House Oversight Committee’s recent release of emails from Jeffrey Epstein’s inbox is an 8,684-word profile by the reporter Michael Wolff.
Comcast, Paramount, Netflix near bids for Warner Bros. Discovery
A frenetic pursuit for the last big chunk of media assets is entering its next stage.
BBC director general quits over Trump reporting
He resigned over a report suggesting the broadcaster had misleadingly edited a speech by US President Donald Trump.
CEO Signal
Sean Anthony Eddy/Getty
Merck/Joey Pfeifer/Semafor
Joey Pfeifer/Semafor
Yale study shows CEOs picked from within drive higher returns
Researchers say the performance gap should tell boards not to assume that an outside ‘savior’ will be better.
Sean Anthony Eddy/GettyBelén Garijo’s prescription for Germany’s Merck
The former doctor says long-term success stems from making hard decisions when the going is good.
Merck/Joey Pfeifer/SemaforHow Ariane Gorin sees AI writing Expedia’s third chapter
The former Microsoft executive says agents will not replace her travel site — if it can get its own technology right.
Joey Pfeifer/SemaforAD