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Republicans approach the midterms with a doomed play for unity

The party hoped to focus its campaign on the benefits of last year’s party-line megabill. For now, it’s stuck over a sequel.

House Speaker Mike Johnson

The anti-AIPAC PAC talks about its 2026 strategy

Semafor spoke with American Priorities about where it’s going next.

Demonstrators take part in a protest against the U.S. backing of the Israeli military operation in Gaza, outside the Washington office of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) in Washington, D.C., U.S., September 22, 2025.

The Democratic tax fight that’s really over copying Republicans

As populism gains steam among Democrats, exempting large numbers of people from taxes strikes many on the left as “slopulism.”

U.S. Senator Cory Booker (D-NJ) questions U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio as he testifies before a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing titled “U.S. Policy Towards Venezuela”, on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., U.S., January 28, 2026.

US Vice President Vance criticized for silence on Iran war

The silence of the US vice president — a staunch anti-interventionist voice — has prompted frustration among allies.

More employees using AI, survey finds

In the fourth quarter of last year, 43% of public-sector employees said they used AI at least a few times annually, according to Gallup polling.

White House signals safe passage for housing bill

The Senate is on track to pass President Donald Trump’s proposed ban on institutional investors in housing as part of a larger package of measures.

Republican spending rises in Kentucky Senate race

A group supporting Rep. Andy Barr, R-Ky., is dropping more money to attack businessman Nate Morris in the Republican Senate primary.

White House seeks to tweak deportation rhetoric

Republicans tacitly acknowledge that the administration’s hardline rhetoric on mass deportation risks alienating voters.

US digs in on Iran campaign

The US defense chief said Tuesday’s strikes on Iran would be the most intense of the war, as President Donald Trump threatened further escalation.

Mullin set to take over a closed and chaotic Homeland Security

Democrats are still digging in on their immigration enforcement demands, even as airport security lines grow.

The State of Happiness in 2026: Wellbeing in the Digital Age | Semafor Events

The 2026 edition of the World Happiness Report, with the latest global happiness rankings powered by data from the Gallup World Poll, examines the striking differences in how young people have fared over time across countries and regions.

MidEast conflict could hurt Chinese business

Analysts say China may benefit geopolitically from a prolonged Iran war, but it could start to feel the pain economically.

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and Chinese President Xi Jinping

India eases rules on China investment

India is looking to attract more capital amid fresh global economic uncertainty.

Oil slides further but traders rattled by volatility

Oil continued its slide Tuesday, but the wild price swings triggered by Washington’s Iran war messaging have rattled even the most experienced traders.

Iran war gives CEOs another excuse to tighten their belts: recession fears

Layoffs are coming — not because the economic conditions demand it, but because the economic fears allow it.

Bill Ackman’s Pershing Square files for IPO

This is Ackman’s second attempt at listing Pershing Square, after withdrawing an oversized plan in 2024 that found little market appetite.

Why AI job losses will take longer than you think

Economists and AI experts can look back to the invention of the telephone for an example of how rapid technological change can impact the labor market.

Photo of old switchboard

Big Tech moves to keep up with scams

Tech companies announced new security and scam-prevention tools, in their ongoing efforts to clean up the AI slop and security risks they helped create.

Scam detection example from Meta.

AI is the latest gatekeeper between brands and buyers

Companies are now writing ad copy for bots, not people, and those bots are telling consumers what products to buy.

AI agents take off in China

Local governments have rolled out policy measures to support OpenClaw development, even as authorities issue security warnings over the agents.

World marks 150 years since first-ever phone call

That the phone call has survived myriad technological upheavals shows “how profoundly it changed society,” the CTO of AT&T told Semafor.

Anthropic sues the Pentagon over supply chain risk designation

The action marks the latest chapter in the feud between the Trump administration and the AI startup.

Iran war boosts global nuclear energy revival

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has argued that moving away from nuclear power was a “strategic mistake.”

Doel Nuclear Power Station in Belgium.

Mining, metals sector account for 11% of global emissions, report finds

The International Council on Mining and Metals’s new data highlights the sector’s role as both a major emitter and a linchpin of the clean energy transition.

A coal mine.

Europe scrambles for gas alternatives amid surging prices

European leaders will meet today to discuss a response to the spike in natural gas prices.

Emissions are seen from chimneys at Western Europe’s largest liquefied natural gas plant.

No quick fixes for Hormuz as Iran mines key shipping route

The prospects for a resumption of Gulf oil exports look distant, absent a major diplomatic or military breakthrough.

Trucks have become the Gulf’s logistics stopgap

With the Strait of Hormuz shut, logistics operators in the Gulf are coming up with alternatives to keep trade moving, primarily trucking routes.

US and Saudi firms team up for Africa minerals deals

Cove Capital and Saudi family conglomerate aim to raise multi billion dollar fund to acquire African mining operations.

Past oil shocks may teach us the wrong lesson about the Iran war

The Arab oil embargo of the 1970s was a nightmare scenario. But even falling short of that could be painful for the US and global economy.

MidEast conflict could hurt Chinese business

Analysts say China may benefit geopolitically from a prolonged Iran war, but it could start to feel the pain economically.

South Africa’s economic growth undershoots expectations

The growth figures underscored the challenges facing the government in tackling a long list of urgent tasks amid geopolitical shocks.

Johannesburg skyline at night.

Chinese mining company blamed for DR Congo health crisis

Residents living near a mine contracted respiratory illnesses following continued exposure to sulfur dioxide gas, a US non-profit found.

A hospital in Goma.

Ghana introduces new gold royalty system despite opposition

Africa’s top gold producer, like governments across the continent, is trying to capture more value from surging commodity prices.

Middle East airspace closures hurt African airlines

Ethiopian Airlines, the continent’s largest carrier, said it incurred a $137 million loss in a single week.

South Africa’s Ramaphosa bolsters Brazil ties

South Africa’s president courted business leaders in Brazil amid upheaval sparked by US tariffs and the Iran war.

The Iran war risks upending Africa’s Sahel

The junta-led nations around the Sahel — Burkina Faso, Mali, and Niger — are particularly vulnerable to the impact of a global energy crisis.

Asia boosts defense spending amid concerns over China, US

The Asia-Pacific region was second only to Europe in arms imports between 2021 and 2025, according to new research.

Indonesian troops.

US destroys Iranian mine-laying vessels in the Strait of Hormuz

Iran had reportedly begun laying mines in the crucial maritime trade route.

A strike on Tehran.

Ukraine advises US, Gulf on downing Iranian drones

The Patriot missiles used to shoot down Iranian strikes are akin to “using a bazooka to kill a fly,” The New York Times wrote.

U.S. Patriot missile defense systems at a U.S army base in Pyeongtaek, South Korea

AI is the latest gatekeeper between brands and buyers

Companies are now writing ad copy for bots, not people, and those bots are telling consumers what products to buy.

An example of an ad on ChatGPT’s interface.

Hasan Piker on streaming all day, his relationship with Zohran Mamdani, and the lefty media machine

Since 2018, Hasan Piker has gone from streaming alone in his bedroom to becoming one of North America’s most influential leftist creators.

Bulwark CEO wants to help Democrats ‘Eat’ MAGA

The founder of the Bulwark wants to help chart a path back to power for the Democratic party.

Politico founder plots new Washington newspaper war

A damaged Washington Post could face a big new challenger.

Left-of-center groups plead with AGs to stop WBD-Paramount deal

“With President Trump having weaponized independent agencies and antitrust enforcers to do his political bidding, it is essential that states fill the void and aggressively protect consumers,” the groups wrote.

Autodesk’s model for building an AI ‘moat’

CEO Andrew Anagnost says software companies need three defensive qualities.

Andrew Anagnost

Aflac’s Dan Amos on succession after 36 years as CEO

The long-tenured leader has a time and a person in mind — and some advice on what the job takes.

Dan Amos

US Soccer’s goal for the 2026 World Cup

CEO JT Batson says the tournament is forcing brands to see the value of the sport’s fans.

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