Happy Tuesday Everyone! Today’s newsletter: 982 words…3.7 mins

🗞 Today’s Edition: Elon vs Trump (Round 2), China’s “Blackout” Bomb; Owens vs Brigitte (+ Trump) Middle East Peace… & much more!

🚨 Watch For: Netanyahu to visit the White House on Monday, July 7th; Steve Witkoff to launch Gaza peace talks in Cairo next week.

One killer insight to stash in your back pocket

Syria’s Sanctions Lifted… Abraham Accords Next?

⚡ A seismic shift is taking place in the Middle East. On June 30, 2025, President Trump signed an executive order removing most U.S. sanctions on Syria - and lifting a decades-old national emergency declaration

🛑 The sanctions rollback targets Assad's regime, but spares Syria’s interim Prez Ahmed al‑Sharaa, who’s been cozying up to Gulf leaders—and now, Israel.

💡 What’s cooking? U.S. and Israeli officials say “advanced talks” are underway for Syria to normalize ties with Israel. That would be historic—Syria’s been a part of the “wipe Israel off the map” fan club.

🃏 The wildcard? The Golan Heights. Israel wants its control recognized. Some reports suggest Syria might drop its claim to the territory to unlock peace, aid, and Gulf cash.

👀 Why it matters:

🔍 Bottom Line: Syria flipping sides would be a geopolitical gamechanger. The Accords, once unthinkable, may soon stretch from Morocco to Damascus.

Geopolitics Decoded In 3 Moves

💣 China’s "Blackout Bomb": Taiwan’s New Nightmare Unlocked

🇨🇳 Beijing just flexed its new graphite bomb—a blackout weapon that fries power grids without blowing stuff up. Launched via missile, it rains conductive graphite over electrical infrastructure, triggering massive short circuits. Area of effect? At least 10,000 square meters.

🎯 Target: Taiwan.

🇺🇸 Pentagon shrugs: Yawn…We invented that in the 90s and used those bombs in Iraq. But China says, their version is optimized for Taiwan’s dense infrastructure.

⚡ Why it matters: It’s a first-strike tool for Taiwan, crippling electricity, communications, and morale—before shots are even fired. China continues to flex its military prowess as tensions in the South China Sea rise.

🇫🇷 🇷🇺 Macron–Putin Call: Cold War, But Make It Polite

☎ For the first time since 2022, Macron and Putin spoke—2+ hours of icy diplomacy.

🥖 🪆Macron pushed for a Ukraine ceasefire; Putin re-emphasized Russia’s longstanding position that the war was triggered by “years of Western disregard for Russia’s security concerns”

☢️They also synced up on Iran’s nuclear program, pledging coordination after recent U.S. strikes.

🔥 Why it matters: Europe’s quietly testing re-engagement with Moscow—no Ukraine breakthrough yet, but Iran diplomacy could be the opening chess move.

🇬🇧 Britain’s Right-wing Thunderdome

🥊 Yet another party enters Britain’s populist cage match. Ex-Reform UK deputy Ben Habib just dropped Advance UK, pitching it as a “real” conservative fix for Britain’s democracy.

The Goal? Out-Farage, Farage. It’s gunning for disillusioned Brexiteers and voters bored of Farage’s Reform UK.

🙄 His Holiness Elon Musk, swooped in last evening to bestow upon the party, his blessed endorsement. (Translation: Advance UK will now likely lose).

Why it matters: Could split the anti-establishment vote, weakening Reform UK—or fizzle out like past splinter parties at a time when the nation faces deep division and is actively questioning its identity.

Political Drama From DC To NYC

⚔ “DOGE is the monster that might have to…eat Elon”

In case last month’s drama wasn’t enough, Elon’s decided jump right back in…

😶‍🌫️“If this insane spending bill passes, the America Party will be formed the next day”, the billionaire wrote on X in reference to the BBB.

✈ President Trump responded on his Truth Social, “…without subsidies, Elon would probably have to close up shop and head back home to South Africa.”

🧨 Adding in an interview later, “…DOGE is the monster that might have to come back and eat Elon. Wouldn’t that be terrible?” and “I don't think he should be playing that game with me.” (Yikes☠️ )

🔻 Tesla Stock (TSLA) has been down over 5% since the feud reignited.

💭 Thoughts: Let’s wait until Elon’s ketamine wears down before we draw conclusions this time.

🇺🇸 🇫🇷 Trump “Begs” Owens to Stop Calling Brigitte A Man…

🧨 Just when you thought our world couldn’t get any more entertaining…Far-right firebrand, Candace Owens, claims the sitting President of the United States called her in February begging her not to call Brigitte Macron a man.

📢 Owens has been leading efforts “to prove” the French First Lady is actually a First Gentleman.

🤐 She claims Trump reportedly asked her to chill on the Brigitte Macron is a man conspiracy—after French President Macron personally flagged it. Trump’s defense? “She looked like a woman to me.” and that this was getting in the way of US-France talks.

🙃Owens, unfazed, joked, “Not my fault he married someone with a penis.”

🔥 Bottom Line: This gives high school gossip energy, but with nuclear codes and we here at Newzhawk, are lovin’ it! 😁💀

Tech Wars, Crypto Chaos, and AI’s Black Mirror Moments

💻 Google Doodles Its Way Into AI Wars

⚡ Google’s most prized real estate — its homepage Doodle — just turned into an AI billboard. The tech giant promoted AI Mode, its chatbot-like search feature powered by Gemini, to fight off rising rivals like ChatGPT and Perplexity.

💡 AI Mode answers complex questions with text, voice, or images… all without leaving the Googleverse.

🔥 Why It Matters: The move signals Google’s push to stay ahead as OpenAI, Anthropic, and Perplexity heat up the AI race.

🪙 Robinhood’s Private Equity Gamble Pays Off

🚀 Robinhood’s stock popped 13% after it dropped tokenized shares of OpenAI and SpaceX for EU users—first time regular folks can snag pieces of these private giants (thanks, blockchain).

U.S.? Still locked out. But Robinhood snuck crypto staking for ETH and SOL back in under the SEC’s nose.

Why it matters: Tokenizing private giants like OpenAI and SpaceX cracks open markets usually reserved for insiders — and Robinhood’s betting blockchain is the backdoor for regulars to crash the party.

Because World Leaders Beg To Be Dragged