A 2,000-year-old papyrus fragment revealed previously unknown writing by a pre-Socratic philosopher. Empedocles lived in the fifth century BC, and was repeatedly cited by later thinkers — Aristotle called him the “father of rhetoric.” But his writing only survives in brief quotes or summaries. The 30 verses found in a ...
Category: Semafor
Category Added in a WPeMatico Campaign
Oil prices remain high despite Iran ceasefireOil prices remain high despite Iran ceasefire
Oil prices are still hovering just below $100 per barrel as a shaky ceasefire in Iran goes into effect, but there’s a long road ahead even if the war concludes. Some market players are bullish: Israel reopened a major offshore gas facility, an oil executive in Iraq said oil production ...
Meta races to catch up to AI giants with new modelMeta races to catch up to AI giants with new model
Meta unveiled the first new AI model designed by a high-profile team of engineers it hired at huge expense in order to catch up with other Silicon Valley giants in the tech race. The firm’s shares rose 7% on the rollout of Muse Spark, though analysts questioned whether the company ...
China’s yuan set to strengthen due to Middle East warChina’s yuan set to strengthen due to Middle East war
Investors and economists upped bets that China’s yuan was set to rise, thanks to a short-term boost from the Middle East war and long-term trends driving a growing haven status. Hedge funds have used options to invest in the Chinese currency, Bloomberg reported, driven by a fall in oil prices ...
Panama pushes back against China in canal rowPanama pushes back against China in canal row
Panama’s foreign minister asked China to “respect” his country’s sovereignty, accusing Beijing of detaining Panamanian ships in retaliation for legal action against a Hong Kong-listed firm. The countries have been at odds since Panama — under pressure from the Trump administration — canceled CK Hutchison’s contract to operate two ports ...
Gulf sovereigns quadruple private credit portfoliosGulf sovereigns quadruple private credit portfolios
The News The Gulf’s largest sovereign wealth funds more than quadrupled their private credit exposure between 2021 and 2025 — to $80 billion — with investment accelerating over the past two years, according to data from Global SWF. That puts them at the forefront of an asset class that is ...
EU faces ‘stagflation’ over war, economy official warnsEU faces ‘stagflation’ over war, economy official warns
The EU will be hit by a “stagflationary shock” despite the US and Iran agreeing to a two-week ceasefire, the bloc’s economy commissioner warned. The Middle East conflict has exposed Europe’s vulnerability: The continent imports most of its energy, while commercial shipments have also been upended by disruptions to global ...
China reportedly pressed Iran to accept truceChina reportedly pressed Iran to accept truce
China reportedly played a behind-the-scenes role in pushing for the US-Israel-Iran ceasefire. Beijing used its influence to press Tehran to accept the truce at the 11th hour, The New York Times reported. At the start of the war, analysts argued China would be happy to see the US drawn into ...
US stocks rally in familiar patternUS stocks rally in familiar pattern
US stocks soared Wednesday on investors’ relief over a tenuous Iran ceasefire. The Dow had its best day since April 2025, while the US crude benchmark posted its largest drop since 2020. The pattern is now familiar to investors, CNBC wrote: Escalation drives market unease, pressure rises, and de-escalation causes ...
The US Army is developing its own chatbotThe US Army is developing its own chatbot
The US Army is building its own chatbot for soldiers, the latest sign of the Pentagon’s embrace of AI. VictorBot can offer troops answers to questions like how to configure electromagnetic warfare systems for a mission, WIRED reported. The model is trained on internal information gleaned from ongoing conflicts in ...