The World at a Glance
Updated 6:31am EDT
1
The White House’s renewed trade threats are prompting American allies to unite against Washington ahead of new tariffs.
2Donald Trump will reportedly unveil a plan to arm Ukraine, as Washington appears to pivot from its rapprochement with Russia.
3US, Australian, and Japanese troops are training for a possible war with China as tensions over Taiwan grow.
4Google is doubling down on its AI investments, spending more than $2 billion on acquiring top talent.
5South Africa’s president suspended the country’s police chief amid corruption allegations.
6The new Superman movie scored a major win at the box office, despite criticism from conservative commentators.
Tensions build as Republicans float second party-line bill
House leaders are already talking about another herculean legislative effort — but some of their Senate counterparts are skeptical.
Annabelle Gordon/ReutersEU delays tariff countermeasures in hope of US trade deal
European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said the bloc wants to negotiate a deal with Washington to avoid a 30% tariff rate.
Yves Herman/Reuters/File PhotoDem media group sounds alarm: ‘We need help’
Courier Newsroom founder Tara McGowan pleaded with subscribers to help push back against Republicans’ “big, beautiful bill.”
Courier on TikTokGaza officials say children killed in Israeli strike while waiting for water
Israel’s military said that a ‘technical error’ had caused a missile to miss its intended target.
Stringer/ReutersAD
The startups helping African countries capture the value of their mineral exports
They are using a mix of software and grit to boost the continent’s mineral processing ambitions.
Carlos Barria/File Photo/ReutersTrump threatens fresh tariffs on Canada
US President Donald Trump also suggested a universal rate of up to 20% in an NBC interview.
Kevin Lamarque/ReutersUncertainty reigns at FBI as Bongino weighs resignation over Epstein flap
The bureau’s deputy director “will come back if” the attorney general is “held accountable,” one source told Semafor.
Gage Skidmore/Creative Commonspolitics
US Air Force
Kevin Mohatt/Reuters
Debatable: Eliminating food dyes
HHS Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is pressuring food companies to do away with synthetic dyes, winning him some Democratic fans.
House gets ready to get rolled on crypto
It’s a a watershed moment for the crypto industry and its allies in Washington.
US Air ForceTrump makes final blitz on rescissions
Senators are bracing for the president to erupt if the federal cuts fail.
Kevin Mohatt/Reuters Tensions build as Republicans float second party-line bill
House leaders are already talking about another herculean legislative effort — but some of their Senate counterparts are skeptical.
Uncertainty reigns at FBI as Bongino weighs resignation over Epstein flap
The bureau’s deputy director “will come back if” the attorney general is “held accountable,” one source told Semafor.
Why MAGA can’t move on from the ‘Epstein files’
Republican voters are used to getting what they want from Donald Trump — why stop now?
‘One more question…’: Brandon Gill puts liberals on the language hot seat
The freshman representative spoke to Semafor about putting Congressional witnesses on the hot seat.
Immigration worries ease in US
New June polling from Gallup suggests that Trump’s mass deportation agenda might not be as popular as his advisers think.
Why Chuck Schumer sees a Republican ‘majority at risk’
The Senate majority leader is more bullish after a tax and spending cuts bill that even Republicans acknowledge needs salesmanship.
State Department layoffs expected as soon as Friday as reorganization takes effect
Employees at Foggy Bottom are preparing for cutbacks to begin days after the Supreme Court cleared the way for Trump administration downsizing plans.
Democrats look to Republicans for help undoing Medicaid cuts in Trump’s megabill
The opposition party is notably confident that it can get GOP buy-in for an unraveling — if it can take back power.
business
Daniel Cole/Reuters
Economists see lower risk of US recession
Economists polled by The Wall Street Journal said the US’s economic forecast looks better now than it did three months ago.
Daniel Cole/ReutersMamdani will try to charm New York’s elite
New York’s business elite don’t know much about Mamdani, and what they do know, they don’t like.
Corporate DEI pullback is more words than action
“Opportunity” and “merit” hit different these days in corproate America.
Media moguls land, humbled, in Sun Valley
The Allen & Co. Sun Valley conference has midwived megadeals, but today’s moguls face a scrambled world.
Vocal pro-Israel Columbia professor leaves university
Shai Davidai, who became a visible face of the broader fight over free speech on university campuses, is leaving Columbia Business School.
technology
Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters/File Photo
Leah Millis/File Photo/Reuters
Nvidia CEO downplays China risks ahead of Beijing trip
China is one of Nvidia’s biggest markets, accounting for 13% of its total sales for the fiscal year ending in January.
Gonzalo Fuentes/Reuters/File PhotoHow Trump’s megabill could slow AI progress in US
The elimination of federal renewable energy tax credits in the “big, beautiful” law has implications for the global AI race, and the US may be on track to lose to China.
Leah Millis/File Photo/ReutersX lost its CEO, but it hasn’t lost Musk
The godfather of X will see the platform succeed with the help of AI, despite CEO Linda Yaccarino’s resignation.
Wimbledon’s AI line-calling system causing problems for players
Some players have criticized certain calls made by the software, and in one match, the system shut down entirely.
The new hot job in AI: forward-deployed engineers
The role popularized by Palantir will help turn AI breakthroughs into real-world automation.
After founders flee hot French AI startup, new CEO wants to steady the ship — and scale like Palantir
Former Palantir director Gautier Cloix, who replaced Charles Kantor as CEO of H Company last month, speaks publicly for the first time.
net zero
Roman Baluk/Reuters
Gage Skidmore/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0
Yves Herman/Reuters
How Ukraine’s top energy CEO keeps the lights on and hope intact
DTEK’s Maxim Timchenko says smart investors should see the opportunity in rebuilding Ukraine’s energy system.
Roman Baluk/ReutersTrump chooses climate skeptic Chris Wright as energy secretary
Wright, CEO of the oilfield services firm Liberty Energy and a major Republican donor, said last year that “there is no climate crisis.”
Gage Skidmore/Flickr/CC BY-SA 2.0EU lays out roadmap to cut 90% of emissions by 2040
The European Commission’s proposal would allow member nations to buy carbon credits from developing countries to help reach the target.
Yves Herman/Reutersgulf
zayednationalmuseum.ae
Oldest natural pearl to go on show at new Abu Dhabi museum
The pearl, dating back 8,000 years, will be part of exhibits showcasing the Gulf’s history when the museum opens in December.
zayednationalmuseum.aeQatar Airways completes Starlink rollout on Boeing fleet
The airline said in a statement that internet provided by Elon Musk’s satellite company may be faster than home internet.
Saudi Arabia plans to train 1 million citizens in AI
The efforts to prepare the local workforce are part of the kingdom’s Vision 2030 strategy to localize technology and reduce reliance on imported tools and expertise.
UAE’s Khazna and Italy’s Eni plan AI campus in Milan
The project is part of a wider agreement between the UAE and Italy to expand digital infrastructure.
Saudi inks $8B deal to expand domestic wind and solar capacity
Gulf countries are investing in renewable energy abroad as well as at home, both to decarbonize their power grids and to free up more fossil fuels for export.
africa
President Biya in 2024. Wu Hao/Pool/Getty Images.
Sodiq Adelakun/Reuters
Cameroon’s President Biya seeks eighth term at 92
The leader’s long stints outside the country and infrequent public appearances have prompted speculation about his health.
President Biya in 2024. Wu Hao/Pool/Getty Images.Former Nigerian president Muhammadu Buhari dies
Buhari came to power after a historic election win in 2015, but leaves behind a mixed legacy.
Sodiq Adelakun/ReutersInvestors bet on Zambian copper despite US tariffs
Canadian mining company Barrick is pushing ahead with a $2 billion expansion of its copper operations in Zambia.
South Africa suspends police chief as crime soars
The suspension came amid accusations of abuse and corruption, though the move failed to assuage political allies who wanted a firmer response.
Why Africa’s emerging markets need their own stablecoins
They offer an alternative to the outdated compliance regulations of major banks that lock African economies out of global finance.
The startups helping African countries capture the value of their mineral exports
They are using a mix of software and grit to boost the continent’s mineral processing ambitions.
media
Kaleidoscope
Kaleidoscope looks to be the National Geographic of podcasting
The co-founders said they’ve seen a hunger among advertisers to be in front of quality content about science and tech.
Kaleidoscope Anna Wintour’s lipstick and the ‘Empire of the Elite’
Michael Grynbaum’s book about Condé Nast is littered with anecdotes.
‘Dateline’ podcast to launch Spanish-language edition
It’s a further expansion of one of NBCUniversal’s brands in Spanish.
Top admaker to Dems: Get online or retire
The firm warned that Democrats in key 2026 battleground districts are “failing” to reach Americans online.
Dem media group sounds alarm on slow investment: ‘We need help’
Courier Newsroom founder Tara McGowan pleaded with subscribers to help push back against Republicans’ “big, beautiful bill.”
security
Thomas Peter/File Photo/Reuters
Iran’s Presidential website/WANA/Reuters 
The Fordo facility before the strikes. Maxar Technologies/Handout via Reuters.
Trump says no progress on Ukraine peace after Putin call
Following Donald Trump’s call with Vladimir Putin on Thursday, Kyiv said it planned to pressure Washington to reinstate weapons deliveries.
Thomas Peter/File Photo/ReutersIran suspends cooperation with UN nuclear watchdog
International inspectors will now be barred from accessing Iranian nuclear sites without Tehran’s approval.
Iran’s Presidential website/WANA/Reuters US, European intel clashes over damage to Iran’s nuclear program
The CIA contradicted a leaked report that suggested the US strikes had set back Iran’s ambitions by only a few months, while European intelligence suggested enriched uranium had been moved.
The Fordo facility before the strikes. Maxar Technologies/Handout via Reuters.AD