US issues Nigeria travel warning over terrorism, kidnapping The State Department wrote that some regions now carry its highest “do not travel” designation.

US issues Nigeria travel warning over terrorism, kidnapping

DRC raises $1.25B from debut sovereign eurobond Kinshasa was able to sell a stronger credit story than investors expected after its recent critical minerals partnership with the US.

DRC raises $1.25B from debut sovereign eurobond

FirstRand exits UK business after regulatory hit South Africa’s largest bank by value said it will unwind its ownership of British challenger bank Aldermore.

FirstRand exits UK business after regulatory hit

Afreximbank’s $800M answer to Fitch The lender’s fundraising from Japan and China has taken on greater strategic weight after Fitch downgraded it last year.

Afreximbank’s $800M answer to Fitch

Cuba leader says he will not step down Miguel Díaz-Canel remains defiant depsite repeated calls from US President Donald Trump for regime change in Cuba.

Cuba leader says he will not step down

Exclusive: Navy inactivates costly attack submarine as it pursues Trump-backed fleet overhaul Navy Secretary John Phelan was candid about his decision in an interview with Semafor: “We screwed up.”

Navy takes nuclear-powered sub offline after $800 million cost run-up

Fed, Treasury summon Wall Street chiefs over AI fears The meeting comes after Anthropic launched its newest AI model, which experts fear could pose a critical threat to the finance industry.

Fed, Treasury summon Wall Street chiefs over AI fears

China eyes stronger Taiwan influence Beijing said it wants to deepen cooperation with the island, warning it against independence.

China eyes stronger Taiwan influence

Iran war reshapes air travel, perhaps for the long term Industry players eye an opportunity to promote new global hubs, threatening the Gulf’s future viability as an anchor for international travel.

Iran war reshapes air travel, perhaps for the long term

Orbán slams Hungary’s opposition as he trails in polls The Hungarian leader’s latest remarks underscore worries that he may not peacefully accept defeat if he loses Sunday’s election.

Orbán slams Hungary's opposition as he trails in polls

“We screwed up,” said Phelan, who described a push for “radical transparency” under his leadership. “We did. This doesn’t look good. It is what it is. Time to move on, and try to get going in the future and move forward.”

The Los Angeles-class USS Boise has seen years of delays and lost its dive certification in 2017. Navy Secretary John Phelan tells Semafor the attack submarine has so far cost the US almost $800 million, but only 22% of scheduled overhaul work has been completed.

Exclusive: Navy takes nuclear-powered sub offline after $800 million cost run-up Navy Secretary John Phelan was candid about his decision in an interview with Semafor: “We screwed up.”

🟡 Exclusive: The Navy is taking a nuclear-powered sub offline after it cost the US almost $800 million.

www.semafor.com/article/04/1...

Tehran residents embrace calm amid tenuous truce Residents are emerging to shopping streets and public squares obliterated by US and Israeli strikes, along with destroyed transport infrastructure.

Tehran residents embrace calm amid tenuous truce

Trump ‘optimistic’ on Iran peace talks Still, tensions remained, as Trump accused Iran of restricting access through the Strait of Hormuz, and Israel and Hezbollah continued to fire upon each other.

President Donald Trump says he's “optimistic” about a deal being finalized in Iran while tensions threatened to undermine the somewhat positive rhetoric from the White House.

www.semafor.com/article/04/1...

Countries lack fiscal capacity to handle war fallout Most economies remain hampered by high debt-to-GDP ratios from the pandemic, analysts warned, limiting their ability to cushion energy shocks.

Countries lack fiscal capacity to handle war fallout

Trump ‘optimistic’ on Iran peace talks Still, tensions remained, as Trump accused Iran of restricting access through the Strait of Hormuz, and Israel and Hezbollah continued to fire upon each other.

Trump ‘optimistic’ on Iran peace talks

Higher producer prices ease China deflation fears The data comes amid widespread concerns of a global wave of inflation resulting from the Iran war.

Higher producer prices ease China deflation fears

Warsh’s Fed hearing slips past next week The committee would have had to notice the hearing by midnight Thursday.

Warsh’s Fed hearing slips past next week

Lawmakers await Pentagon’s mystery funding request Congressional Republicans are watching to see whether the ceasefire with Iran is real.

Lawmakers await Pentagon's mystery funding request

Bluesky COO Rose Wang On Building a Better Social Network YouTube video by Semafor

Listen to Mixed Signals from Semafor Media wherever you get your podcasts, or watch it on YouTube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=pZbd...

Cover art for Mixed Signals from Semafor Media with a photo of Rose Wang and the Bluesky logo. Presented by Think with Google.

🟡 On this week’s episode of Mixed Signals, @rose.bsky.team joins to talk about how Bluesky is rethinking social media through a more decentralized model. They discuss its rapid growth, reputation as a politically charged space, and the challenge of turning a utopian vision into a real business.

Americans still think taxes are too high, poll finds The share of US adults who told Gallup that their taxes are too high has remained consistent since 2023 during Joe Biden’s presidency.

Americans still think taxes are too high, poll finds

AI turbocharges Chinese microdrama industry AI has allowed the industry to launch about 470 new titles daily in January alone.

AI turbocharges Chinese microdrama industry

Amazon defends high AI spending US tech giants are doubling down on massive AI spending despite lingering concerns of a bubble and energy shocks stemming from the Middle East conflict.

Amazon defends high AI spending

American Gen Zers are growing more uneasy about AI More American Gen Zers are using AI, but they’re also growing more uneasy about it, new data showed.

American Gen Zers are growing more uneasy about AI

Israel, Lebanon to hold direct talks Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to continue striking Lebanon in the meantime.

Israel, Lebanon to hold direct talks

UK rejects Iran’s Hormuz toll plan The UK’s top diplomat on Thursday rejected Iran’s toll plan for the Strait of Hormuz, characterizing the effort as a “hijacking” of the crucial transit route.

UK rejects Iran’s Hormuz toll plan

OpenAI pauses UK Stargate project OpenAI is pausing its UK data center project, citing high energy costs and regulatory conditions.

OpenAI pauses UK Stargate project

“Things that were previously held to be sort of unassailable truths are now coming into question,” a16z partner David Ulevitch told Liz Hoffman last week.