U.S. imposes tariffs on chip and solar material.
Today's events
Polysilicon tariffs.
A presidential proclamation sets a minimum import price for polysilicon — the base material for chips and solar cells — plus a 15% tariff on downstream goods, effective in 120 days.1Aug 6 · WHVenezuela transition talks.
Venezuela's 2015 National Assembly delegation, led by Dinorah Figuera, arrived in Caracas for the start of in-person talks with the interim government under Trump's three-phase transition plan.2Aug 6 · StateCuba arms sanctions.
State designated five Cuban entities and eight individuals for procuring weapons abroad; targets include two subsidiaries of the military conglomerate GAESA that imported Russian and Chinese military equipment.3Aug 6 · StateCitizenship orders.
One order denies citizenship documents to U.S.-born children — where neither parent is a citizen — of alien enemies, foreign officials, and paid birth arrangements; another directs State and Homeland Security to stop birth tourism.4Aug 6 · WHFed on inflation.
Governor Lisa Cook said inflation is too high, with prices up 3.7% over the twelve months through June and core up 3.3%, citing Middle East energy costs and AI capital spending.5Aug 5 · FedEbola response.
State intends to provide another $242 million for the outbreak in Congo and Uganda, taking its assistance past $512 million; Congo, Uganda and South Sudan remain at do-not-travel.6Aug 5 · StateGhana bribery verdict.
A federal jury convicted Asante Kwako Berko, a former Goldman Sachs executive director, of foreign-bribery and money-laundering charges for paying over $1 million to Ghanaian officials to secure a power-plant deal for a Turkish company.7Aug 6 · DOJChip research canceled.
Commerce canceled $7.8 billion of the $11 billion Congress appropriated for advanced chip research and has no plan to meet its statutory obligations, government auditors found.8Aug 6 · GAOExploited software flaw.
CISA added an actively exploited JetBrains TeamCity flaw (CVE-2026-63077) to its Known Exploited Vulnerabilities catalog, requiring federal civilian agencies to patch exposed systems.9Aug 5 · CISA
Allied Governments
Russia sanctions.
The UK sanctioned 19 targets — six Russian banks, six shadow-fleet tankers, and four importers of tantalum and niobium — in the foreign secretary's first Russia package.aAug 6 · UK FCDOBali bombings trial.
Australia opened registration for survivors and victims' families ahead of the U.S. military trial at Guantanamo Bay of Hambali over the 2002 Bali and 2003 Jakarta bombings; registrations close August 20.bAug 6 · Australia DFATHiroshima ceremony.
Japan's state minister for foreign affairs attended the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony and met representatives of atomic-bomb survivors.cAug 6 · Japan MoFA
Voices
“Polysilicon is the base material underpinning the security of America's semiconductor and solar-power supply chains.”
Presidential Proclamation on Polysilicon Imports · Aug 61
“[T]he United States will not tolerate a rogue state harboring hostile foreign military, intelligence, and terror operations just ninety miles from the American homeland.”
Sec. of State Marco Rubio · Aug 63
“The privilege of United States citizenship remains a priceless and profound gift.”
Executive Order, Continuing to Protect the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship · Aug 64
“Thinking first of the price-stability side of our mandate, my assessment is simple: Inflation is too high.”
Fed Gov. Lisa D. Cook, Anchorage · Aug 55
“We live in a global economy that American companies must be able to compete in fairly. This defendant corrupted that fair competition.”
AAG A. Tysen Duva, DOJ Criminal Division · Aug 67
“Without a detailed plan for reestablishing these entities in line with statute, Commerce may miss opportunities to advance U.S. semiconductor technologies, leaving the U.S. reliant on other countries.”
Government Accountability Office, GAO-26-109121 · Aug 68
Sources
- White House, “Adjusting Imports of Polysilicon and its Derivatives into the United States,” August 6, 2026. whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/…/polysilicon-imports
- U.S. Dept. of State, “Welcoming Talks in Caracas to Advance Venezuela's Political Transition,” August 6, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/talks-in-caracas
- U.S. Dept. of State, “Targeting Enablers of the Cuban Regime's Arms Imports and Foreign Military Cooperation,” August 6, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/cuban-arms-imports
- White House, “Continuing to Protect the Meaning and Value of American Citizenship,” August 6, 2026. whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/…/american-citizenship
- Federal Reserve, “Cook, Outlook for the U.S. and Alaskan Economies,” August 5, 2026. federalreserve.gov/newsevents/speech/…/cook20260805a
- U.S. Dept. of State, “Ebola Response Update – August 5, 2026,” August 5, 2026. state.gov/releases/…/ebola-response-update
- U.S. Dept. of Justice, “Former Banker Convicted for Scheme to Bribe Ghanaian Officials,” August 6, 2026. justice.gov/opa/pr/…/bribe-ghanaian-officials
- U.S. Government Accountability Office, “Semiconductors: Commerce Needs Plan to Meet CHIPS for America R&D Requirements” (GAO-26-109121), August 6, 2026. gao.gov/products/gao-26-109121
- CISA, “CISA Adds One Known Exploited Vulnerability to Catalog” (CVE-2026-63077, JetBrains TeamCity), August 5, 2026. cisa.gov/news-events/…/kev-cve-2026-63077
- UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, “UK continues crackdown on Russia with tough new sanctions,” August 6, 2026. gov.uk/government/news/…/russia-sanctions
- Australia Dept. of Foreign Affairs and Trade, “Hambali Trial – Registration of Interest for Australians Affected by the 2002 Bali and 2003 Jakarta Terrorist Attacks,” August 6, 2026. dfat.gov.au/news/media-release/…/hambali-trial
- Japan Ministry of Foreign Affairs, “State Minister KUNIMITSU's Attendance at the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Ceremony,” August 6, 2026. mofa.go.jp/press/release/…/hiroshima-ceremony