Has Japan found its Margaret Thatcher? Sanae Takaichi is a hawk on China but a muddle on economics. WSJ-Editorial
Japan ruling coalition in flux as Komeito is alarmed by hawkish Takaichi: Some in junior partner call for leaving alliance over fund scandal, Yasukuni Shrine visits. Nikkei
Vietnam pushes ahead with its International Financial Center dream: Dual-hub project aims to lure foreign capital, fuel double-digit growth. Nikkei
Macron’s latest prime minister resigns after a month in office: WSJ reports Sébastien Lecornu’s resignation sends French stocks lower, signals depth of political disarray.
France in fresh political and market turmoil after prime minister resigns: FT reports Sébastien Lecornu, who quit on Monday, is asked by Emmanuel Macron to quickly negotiate a stability plan.
French conservatives brought about PM's downfall hours after pledging support: Le Monde reports that even though Les Républicains had agreed on Sunday to participate in the government, the appointment of two former members who joined Macron years ago provoked the party's ire.
The world’s worst job is in France: Legislative gridlock and a budget crisis topple another Prime Minister. WSJ-Editorial
President Macron is a lame duck running out of options: France is facing a crisis of democracy not seen since Charles de Gaulle. The need for a strong head of state with a mandate has seldom been greater. The Times
Can Emmanuel Macron stop France’s political unravelling? The president’s options narrow after losing the third premier since his 2024 snap elections. FT
Europe’s high quality of life is getting hard to afford. Just ask France. The cost of Europe’s way of life — health care, affordable education, and a dignified retirement for all, through high social spending — is becoming unbearably high. WP
The dangers of war in the grey zone: Russia’s resort to hybrid warfare is a sign of weakness. But it still requires a response. Gideon Rachman
Brazil's Lula asks Trump to remove tariffs in 'friendly' phone call: Le Monde reports diplomatic ties have become increasingly strained between Washington and Brasilia in recent months, with Trump angered over the trial and conviction of his ally, the far-right former president Jair Bolsonaro.
Trump calls off diplomatic outreach to Venezuela: NYT reports the move paves the way for a possible military escalation against drug traffickers or the government of Nicolás Maduro.
Are we at war with Venezuela? Chas Danner
Mark Carney’s radical vision for handling Trumpian America: Liberalise at home and lead a new free-trade revolution. Economist
Donald Trump threatens to invoke the 200-year-old Insurrection Act to deploy troops: FT reports warning to use 19th century law comes as president faces legal setbacks in bid to put soldiers on the streets of US cities.
Trump open to invoking the Insurrection Act: Politico reports the comments came a day after a federal judge blocked the president from sending National Guard troops to Portland, Oregon.
+ A federal judge on Monday declined to block the deployment of National Guard units to Illinois, a mobilization that the state’s governor, JB Pritzker, labeled an “unconstitutional invasion” by the federal government.
What a Chicago immigration raid says about Trumpism: The worst excesses seem designed to produce content. Economist
Trump’s immigration push diverts US agents from drug, money, and sex-crime cases: WSJ reports federal investigators are resigning, and morale is low, as they juggle complex cases and detain migrants.
Shutdown politics has GOP singing government’s praises: NYT reports as Republicans try to pin blame for shutdown damage on Democrats, they are hailing a federal bureaucracy they normally bash as wasteful and overreaching.
Trump aimed shutdown cuts at Democrats, but GOP districts are hit, too: NYT reports that as the president cancels projects in Democratic-run states, he is cutting money that benefits his own party’s lawmakers in some of the most competitive House districts.
Donald Trump says US truck imports to face 25% tariff from November 1: FT reports announcement comes on eve of talks in Washington with Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney.
White House says it will take 10% stake in Trilogy Metals: Shares in mining company more than double on announcement from US secretary of interior. FT
CIA deputy director has replaced agency’s top legal official with himself: NYT reports it is not clear what is behind the move by Michael Ellis, a Trump loyalist. A legal ethics specialist said it could raise conflict-of-interest issues.
Supreme Court won’t hear Ghislaine Maxwell’s appeal of sex-trafficking conviction: WP reports the justices declined to consider arguments from the imprisoned associate of deceased financier Jeffrey Epstein that she was improperly prosecuted.
VA-GOV: A new Wason Center poll in Virginia finds Abigail Spanberger (D) leading Winsome Earle-Sears (R) by 10 points in the race for governor, 52% to 42% among likely voters, with 6% still undecided or don’t know.
Jesse Jackson Jr. (D) will announce another bid this week to represent his old seat in Congress, now being vacated by Rep. Robin Kelly (D-IL), Politico reports.
WP: Lawmakers in Utah pass new congressional map aimed at preserving GOP power
Democrats could have a slight shot at flipping a US House seat in Utah under a new congressional map: AP reports Utah’s Republican-led Legislature approved a revised congressional map Monday that could give Democrats an improved chance at flipping a seat as the party fights to topple the GOP’s slim majority in the US House. But in a state overwhelmingly dominated by Republicans, it remains a long-shot that Democrats could win a district next year. Republicans currently hold all four of Utah’s House seats.
Rep. Wesley Hunt joins race for Senate, seeks to shake up Texas GOP field: WP reports his decision adds a new dimension to a primary race that has been centered on longtime incumbent John Cornyn and state Attorney General Ken Paxton.
No immediate evidence fire at South Carolina judge’s home was intentional: WSJ reports investigators are searching for the cause of the blaze at the home of Judge Diane Goodstein and her husband, a former Democratic state senator.
Manosphere influencers who boosted Trump are now cooling on him: Creators like Theo Von and Adin Ross are starting to distance themselves from the president they helped propel to the White House. RS
Bari Weiss’s journey from New York Times resignation to top TV news gig: WSJ reports the former newspaper opinion editor and co-founder of the Free Press is now editor in chief of CBS News.
How Bari Weiss won: At The Free Press, she battled “wokeness” and buddied up with billionaires. Now she’s the editor in chief of CBS News. NYT
America is now one big bet on AI: It’s seen as the magic fix for every threat to the US economy. Ruchir Sharma
How AMD came from behind to mount a challenge in the AI chip wars: A pivot from videogames to data centers—and a new deal with OpenAI—has the chip designer on the road to a $1 trillion valuation. WSJ
The AI arms race gets even hotter: OpenAI bets on AMD chips as an alternative to Nvidia. That’s good news for competition. WSJ-Editorial
OpenAI targets 10% AMD stake via multibillion-dollar chip deal: FT reports latest circular transaction aims to make ChatGPT maker central to the effort to build a huge AI infrastructure.
Sam Altman is trying to manifest a new Nvidia: The booming AI industry wants more than one giant chip supplier. John Herrman
Elon Musk gambles billions in Memphis to catch up on AI: xAI aims to win tech arms race with ‘Colossus’ data centers, thrown up at lightning speed; city divided over massive power and water demands. WSJ
Elon Musk gambles on sexy AI companions: In July, the billionaire’s AI company introduced two sexually explicit chatbots, pushing a new version of intimacy. NYT
AI video: More than just “slop”: The next big thing in AI may be pictures, not words. Economist
AstraZeneca signs $555mn AI deal to identify immunology targets: FT reports the pharmaceutical company is latest to invest in artificial intelligence to speed drug development.
This school district asked students to draft its AI policy: As school leaders around the country debate how to handle the technology, one district in Silicon Valley turned to teenagers for help. WP
The big advantage humans have over AI Benjamin Hart
A devastating fire at a major Ford supplier will disrupt business for months: Novelis plant supplies about 40% of aluminum sheet used in auto industry. WSJ
+ Novelis said a major portion of its Oswego, NY, plant has been knocked offline until early next year.
Fifth Third to acquire Comerica in $10.9 billion deal: WSJ reports deal could open the door to a long-anticipated wave of consolidation in the industry.
US regional bank Fifth Third strikes $11bn deal to buy Comerica: FT reports the combined group will become the ninth-biggest lender in America with $288bn in assets.
Why did Walmart just buy a shopping mall? Walmart hasn’t said much about its plans for Monroeville Mall in Pennsylvania. But its partner has told some store owners that the mall will be demolished for a mixed-use development. NYT
Luxury goods are out, but luxury travel is in: Can hospitality firms avoid the mistakes fashion firms made? Economist
“One Battle After Another” wins the war: Paul Thomas Anderson gives a masterclass in making a political film. Economist
The Super Bowl contender turning into a soul-crushing disaster: Beaten down by injuries and struggling to keep pace, the much-hyped Baltimore Ravens have gone from worse to…well, worse. Jason Gay
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal
A11. | October 7
