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Trump throws diplomatic cold water on SA ahead of November’s G20, confirms India tariffs start Friday, and Fed Chair Powell resists rate cut demands. Back home, a forensic probe exposes rot in a multimillion-rand oxygen plant tender - while Microsoft hits AI cloud highs.

Following the resignation of Emma Powell, Ryan Smith has been announced as the Democratic Alliance's spokesperson on International Relations and Cooperation. In his first interview since his appointment, Smith speaks to BizNews about the chances of South Africa cutting a last-minute deal with the United States to avert the 30% export tariffs due to come into effect on Friday. He reacts to US President Donald Trump’s latest utterances in which he reiterated that he has had a “lot of problems with South Africa” and once again cited “some very bad policies”. Describing what it would take to reset the US-SA relationship, Smith urges non-alliance and a foreign policy that is “no longer the ambit of political whims”. On the resignation of Powell - who cited harassment, threats and intimidation - he says “it became far too heavy a personal toll for her”. As for what he now faces, Smith says: “… there are allegations across every government department of collusion, political interference, of corruption, and when you take your oath of office and you take a seat as a Member of Parliament in South Africa, certainly on the DA's benches, you are well aware that you're going up against all of this and that it can get very, very ugly”.

CemAir CEO Miles van der Molen tells Alec Hogg that the FlySafair pilot strike is the result of long-standing regulatory neglect and a broken aviation market. He warns that FlySafair’s foreign ownership advantage has distorted competition and left South African pilots with fewer options.

A political storm brews at Pretoria High School for Girls as headmistress Philippa Erasmus faces questionable misconduct charges after being cleared of racism allegations. DA MPL Sergio Dos Santos claims the school is being unfairly targeted by Gauteng's education department, raising concerns of political vendettas, lack of transparency, and the misuse of new education laws to centralise control.

In today’s BizNews Briefing, South Africa braces for looming US tariffs as diplomatic efforts intensify in Washington. Meanwhile, Safair faces scrutiny amid a historic pilot strike linked to regulatory double standards. In education, the Pretoria Girls’ High saga deepens with new suspensions, raising fresh concerns about political interference. Plus, the Gupta mansion sale falls through, listed companies are diving into Bitcoin, and a viral clip of DA MP Glynis Breytenbach grilling G4S in a new tailpiece segment.

BizNews founder Alec Hogg checks in with Piet Viljoen and Magnus Heystek as their four-year Million Rand investment face-off nears its conclusion. Viljoen’s local-value strategy holds a narrow lead, but Heystek’s offshore picks are closing fast. With 16 months to go, the race reveals hard truths about markets, fund managers and the surprising resilience of SA equities.

In today’s BizNews Briefing: Bain & Co exits South Africa after Zondo fallout; Athol Trollip lays charges against Paul O’Sullivan amid a feud over whistleblower General Mkwanazi. Magnus Heystek and Piet Viljoen go head-to-head in a R1 million investment duel. Sarah Burger clears her name. And Donald Trump strikes a surprise EU tariff deal, before turning his sights on Vladimir Putin.

After 17 traumatic months, forensics attorney Sarah Burger has been vindicated - and is free from prosecution and persecution. She was arrested after uncovering massive corruption at Fort Hare University and ended up in the dock alongside some of those she had investigated. Now that all the charges against her have been withdrawn, Burger warns of consequences for those involved in the gross miscarriage of justice. “…the police and the NPA hold very, very powerful positions over people's lives and freedom of movement. And when you are abused in a process like this and as a legal practitioner, looking at this unfolding and feeling completely powerless, you want to say to yourself, gee, what an abuse of that unlevel playing field. So I believe that it is important from an integrity point of view, that these people come and answer at any committee, whether it's the Ethics Committee at the NPA or whether it's the Police Portfolio Committee for the police and in the other platforms where I plan to lodge complaints as well.” Meanwhile, Burger has already notified the SAPS that “we will be suing them - and the NPA will in due course hear from me as well”.

ActionSA parliamentary leader Athol Trollip has laid criminal charges against forensic investigator Paul O’Sullivan after a barrage of threats and accusations. Trollip says he was simply calling for urgent investigation into police corruption, but won’t be intimidated from doing his job as an MP. Trollip spoke to BizNews' Alec Hogg.

In today’s BizNews Briefing, Trump secures a last-minute tariff deal with the EU, while President Ramaphosa downplays the Jackson Bill’s threat of ANC sanctions. Security expert Brad Steyn says Ramaphosa is trapped by the ANC’s secrets. Sakeliga CEO Piet le Roux critiques Cyril’s BEE stance, and Wayne Sussman analyses the Patriotic Alliance’s by-election win over the DA. Plus, OpenAI’s Sam Altman reveals new ChatGPT ambitions.