Semafor

OpenAI launches new open models, rivaling offerings by DeepSeek and Meta Sam Altman’s firm hopes its latest models will create a one-stop shop for businesses currently using multiple services.

🟡 NEW: OpenAI released two powerful open models that rival other free offerings like DeepSeek, Alibaba’s Qwen, and Meta’s Llama.
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Saudi Arabia’s Aramco reports disappointing earnings The company’s protracted decline threatens to slow the kingdom’s economic transformation.

Saudi Arabia's Aramco reports disappointing earnings

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Dozens of African migrants die in Yemen boat disaster As Europe has ramped up its crackdown on migration across the Mediterranean, migrants have sought other routes to find better-paying jobs.

Dozens of African migrants die in Yemen boat disaster

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Trump’s tax bill has triggered a solar gold rush The early phaseout of solar tax credits could end up helping Chinese manufacturers at the expense of US firms.

Trump’s tax bill has triggered a solar gold rush

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US perceptions of China are improving, poll finds Since 2023, the share of Americans who view China as an ‘enemy’ dropped by seven percentage points, while the share who see it as an ‘ally or trade partner’ grew by eight percentage points.

US perceptions of China are improving, poll finds

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Tesla gives Musk $29B to keep his ‘energies focused’ New shares would give the billionaire 16% control of the carmaker, which is competing for his attention with AI, space, brain implants — and politics.

Tesla gives Musk $29B to keep his 'energies focused'

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UAE influencers to require government permit Saudi Arabia already mandates a $4,000 fee for a three-year influencer license.

UAE influencers to require government permit

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Kuwait revokes more than 100 fraudulent citizenships The move followed the discovery of a decades-long fraud involving a Syrian man who forged documents and claimed dozens of individuals as his children.

Kuwait revokes more than 100 fraudulent citizenships

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Qatar boosts power generation in Syria with Azeri gas It’s the third initiative by Doha to address Syria’s crippling 20-hour daily power shortages.

Qatar boosts power generation in Syria with Azeri gas

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Uganda’s yearly coffee earnings almost double The results were bolstered by global coffee prices hitting record highs this year.

Uganda’s yearly coffee earnings almost double

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Sahel’s junta leaders plan new investment bank The bank is intended to reduce the states’ reliance on foreign donors for financing development projects.

Sahel’s junta leaders plan new investment bank

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Hunger falling globally, WHO report finds The number of people going hungry worldwide fell by 15 million between 2023 and 2024, the World Health Organization said.

Hunger falling globally, WHO report finds

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Thousands march in Brazil in support of Bolsonaro US President Donald Trump said imports from Brazil would be subject to a 50% tariff owing to the ‘witch hunt’ against the former president.

Thousands march in Brazil in support of Bolsonaro

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China, Russia open joint naval drills Following the three days of exercises, the countries then plan to carry out patrols in parts of the Pacific.

China, Russia open joint naval drills

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Israeli minister sparks fury by praying at Al-Aqsa holy site Itamar Ben-Gvir led 1,250 Jews in prayer at the Al-Aqsa mosque, also known as Temple Mount, contravening a decades-old agreement.

Israeli minister sparks fury by praying at Al-Aqsa holy site

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India, China push back as Trump threatens secondary tariffs Donald Trump has promised 100% duties on imports from any country that buys oil from Russia.

India, China push back as Trump threatens secondary tariffs

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Tesla awards Elon Musk $30 billion of shares The carmaker’s decision comes as Tesla faces one of its worst sales slumps.

Tesla awards Elon Musk $30 billion of shares

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Trump to name two new key economic officials The White House is likely to name a new Federal Reserve governor and a top labor-market statistician in the coming days.

Trump to name two new key economic officials

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‘The M-word’: Nebraska’s Flood plots new lane for dealmaking Republicans The new chief of the Main Street Caucus is out to reorient how people view his group: as a breed of conservative different from the Freedom Caucus.

‘The M-word’: Nebraska’s Flood plots new lane for dealmaking Republicans

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Key economic nominee still in limbo as Senate heads home Brian Quintenz, Trump’s nominee to chair the Commodity Futures Trading Commission, is still waiting for confirmation.

Key economic nominee still in limbo as Senate heads home

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Republicans fight each other over spending strategy The White House would prefer a long-term spending freeze that some in the party criticize as locking in ‘Biden’s budget.’

Republicans fight each other over spending strategy

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Côte d’Ivoire’s Ouattara anchors fourth presidential bid to economic growth President Alassane Ouattara, 83, argues that only experience can push the country to upper middle-income status.

Côte d’Ivoire’s Ouattara anchors fourth presidential bid to economic growth

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How media tides turned on Gaza The Nelk Boys’ interview with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu did not go over well with their young fanbase.

How media tides turned on Gaza

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New New York Times culture section edges toward video The paper moved four of its critics around the newsroom as it rethinks its critical voice.

New New York Times culture section edges toward video

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Economist’s firing risks imperiling Trump’s agenda Erika McEntarfer’s firing politicizes the data the central bank relies on.

Economist's firing risks imperiling Trump's agenda

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Why Figma’s IPO was a defining moment for investor Iconiq Figma’s blockbuster IPO was not just one of tech’s biggest success stories of the year, but also a big day for Iconiq, which invested in 2013.

Why Figma's IPO was a defining moment for investor Iconiq

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Beijing preps national security countermeasures to US’ hawkish AI stance China summoned Nvidia to address concerns that its chips have backdoors to allow the US access, and is also considering measures to thwart Starlink satellites.

Beijing preps national security countermeasures to US' hawkish AI stance

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AI-assisted cooking device picking up steam in India The robot, which can do nearly all the cooking for you, is made by startup Upliance.ai.

AI-assisted cooking device picking up steam in India

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Beshear: Kentuckians ‘not worried about an autopen’ The governor spoke to Semafor about the Democratic Party, language, immigration, and winning.

Beshear: Kentuckians ‘not worried about an autopen’

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Ghana cuts interest rates by historic margin Bank Governor Johnson Asiama lowered the rate to 25%.

Ghana cuts interest rates by historic margin

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