‘Great Power Diplomacy’ review: Making friends and allies: International diplomacy in recent years has had the same unilateral thrust as imposing policies by military force. WSJ
Moscow's mix of relief and renewed charm toward Washington: Since Donald Trump and Vladimir Putin spoke by phone on Thursday and agreed to meet soon in Budapest, the prevailing sentiment has been that the White House is once again opening its doors to the Kremlin. Le Monde
Tomahawk diplomacy: How Putin outmanoeuvred Zelensky: Trump may be bolstered by his success in the Middle East, but the Donbas is not Gaza, and the Russian president has cards still left to play. Mark Galeotti
Trump urged Zelenskyy to accept Putin’s terms or be ‘destroyed’ by Russia: US president tossed aside maps of Ukraine frontline in volatile White House meeting. FT
Bloomberg: Zelenskiy wants Ukraine war to be frozen before peace talks
‘Let them both claim victory’: Donald Trump has boasted that the Ukraine war would be easy to solve. It didn’t look that way today. Jonathan Lemire
Europe is answering Putin’s challenge: Members of the NATO alliance are showing real grit—and, for now, the US is with them. Shane Harris
Polish civilians arm themselves in case of Russian invasion: The Times reports children learn guerrilla warfare tactics while ‘preppers’ are stepping up in the face of growing threats from the Kremlin.
China is already winning the trade war America wanted: Trump's “grand bargain” won’t happen at a time when tariffs and export controls have become combat by other means. Hal Brands
China is growling. Bravado won’t stop it. The art of the deal is no substitute for strategy. Fareed Zakaria
Here’s how Trump can hit China’s economy where it really hurts as analysts say Beijing’s rare earths gamble could backfire Jason Ma
Trump and Xi’s trade dance will end in deal for both US and China: The US president managed to reignite the trade row with China while achieving a ceasefire in Gaza, but both he and Xi Jinping will have firepower when they meet. Irwin Stelzer
US-China ties – never mind the trade deal, there are more important issues to resolve: It is better for long-term peace and security that the two superpowers not have an agreement just for the sake of doing so. Han Fook Kwang
The auto industry is panicking about another potential chip shortage: WSJ reports the Chinese-owned chip maker Nexperia has told suppliers it won’t ship product after Dutch government took control of company.
Apple, caught between US and China, pledges investment in both: In Beijing this week, the company’s chief executive, Tim Cook, made promises similar to ones he’d made at the White House. He also got a custom Labubu. NYT
What Germany can teach Britain about China’s spy threat: Berlin once had a tendency to overlook the ‘dark side’ of closer economic ties to Beijing, but federal prosecutors have begun to crack down. The Times
Spy suspect was stopped with cash in suitcase on return from China: Christopher Berry, who had landed at Heathrow, is believed to have been given the money by his Chinese intelligence handler known only as “Alex.” The Times
China’s chilling stolen data plot for everyone in Britain: Beijing’s ‘harvest now/decrypt later’ strategy means even encrypted personal information could be cracked within months. The Times
Southeast Asia has made the right moves in dealing with Trump: ASEAN countries have made wise strategic choices that helped build political goodwill in Washington. Hasan Jafri
Nepal’s Gen Z protest was just the beginning of the real political struggle: Understanding what Sri Lanka and Bangladesh did after they forced out political leaders could be crucial for Nepal. Rishi Gupta
Gen Z is the new force in global politics: The Madagascar protests highlight the powers and flaws of youth seeking a quick fix. FT-Editorial
Peru's new president takes on ‘Generation Z’ unrest: FT reports José Jerí wants to convince an angry public he can fight crime — and last longer than his predecessors.
The Taliban’s visit to India marks a turning point for South Asia: The Taliban stand to gain economically through engagement with India. But what’s in it for India? Nirmal Ghosh
South Africa intends to revive a controversial modular nuclear reactor program and step up its reliance on gas to generate electricity, according to a new energy-policy blueprint unveiled by the nation’s electricity and energy minister.
The UK Green Party claims it is now the third largest in the country, after reporting a jump in its membership numbers. The Greens have 126,000 members, up nearly 80% since new leader Zack Polanski was elected last month.
Reform’s new ‘kingmaker’: The theologian friend of JD Vance: Cambridge University’s James Orr tasked with giving Farage’s party a lift by acquiring new talent. Telegraph
Inside John Swinney’s plan to bore his way to election victory: The first minister is leading an SNP that is the most united it has been for years, but a lack of policy ambition could undermine voter support. The Times
London became a global hub for phone theft. Now we know why. About 80,000 phones were stolen in the British capital last year. The police are finally discovering where many of them went. NYT
Denmark's postal service is dumping letter delivery. Could Canada? Denmark's mail volume has declined 90 per cent over the past two decades. CBC
Trump had to choose between Israel and Qatar. He chose Qatar: Gaza’s future hangs in the balance. But while a fragile ceasefire holds, it looks like Israel has lost influence over the peace process, writes Lawrence Freedman. FT
Quebec's Saint Lawrence River hits record low amid drought: Le Monde reports after an exceptionally warm and dry fall, the Saint Lawrence River – a vital economic corridor in Canada – has reached abnormally low levels in Quebec. In an unprecedented measure, the gates of the Lake Ontario dam were opened on Friday to come to its rescue and replenish its waters.
CNA: Trump calls Colombian president 'a drug leader', vows end to payments
Donald Trump aims to topple Venezuela’s leader with military build-up: Objective of US mission has shifted from fighting drug traffickers to regime change. FT
War on drugs or regime change? Trump’s gamble over Venezuela: US strikes on drug traffickers play well at home but the threats to topple Nicolás Maduro are a response to Beijing’s fast-growing influence in Latin America. Katy Balls
What won’t Congress let Trump get away with? The president’s Caribbean boat strikes are setting a dangerous new precedent. Conor Friedersdorf
The traffickers are winning the war on drugs: New decentralised networks are even harder to disrupt than the hierarchical gangs they have replaced. Economist
Trump and the return of Great Man theory: The president vindicates an unfashionable view of how history works. Janan Ganesh
Trump presents himself as war leader of a domestic conflict: The US specialist revisits the long history of far-right rhetoric about the 'enemy within.' According to Burtin, President Trump has turned this narrative into a genuine mode of governance, one capable of justifying authoritarian policies and increasing militarization, to the point of redefining American territory as a battlefield. Olivier Burtin
What powers does the Border Patrol have across the country? The Trump administration is increasingly relying on the agency for immigration enforcement within the US. NYT
The curious market timing of Trump’s tariff threats: Donald Trump may know the art of dealmaking, but he certainly doesn’t know the art of stock market timing. Shuli Ren
Former US trade chief Robert Lighthizer: ‘Economists have been wrong on everything!’ The architect of Trump’s first-term tariff policy on the end of free trade, swapping the White House for Wall Street — and why he considers the president ‘the most honest person.’ FT
It’s 2025, and Democrats are still running against Trump: In New Jersey, Virginia and beyond, voters have been inundated with ads linking Republican candidates to the president. Some Democratic strategists see a missed opportunity to forge a more positive message. NYT
Utahns are fighting for fair maps: While other states race to enact partisan gerrymanders. Economist
Inside the Republican network behind big soda’s bid to pit MAGA against MAHA: A Guardian investigation finds the US soda and snack-food industries, threatened by RFK Jr’s movement to change Americans’ eating habits, have turned to a group of well-connected strategists, shadowy pollsters and ‘anti-woke’ influencers. Guardian
Fraidy-cat at the Pentagon Maureen Dowd
Donald Trump’s dream palace of puffery: The Pentagon’s ban on real journalism looks to be a preview of where the White House is headed. Susan B. Glasser
Disconnected by design: Democracy broke when reality became a partisan choice. The right manufactured fiction; the left courted rich donors and lost the working class. Fixing America demands rebuilding reality and proving to ordinary people that their voices matter. Kirk Cheyfitz + Brian Komar
TED gets new bosses and changes direction: The event organiser heads into ed tech. Economist
First comes Dimon’s new tower. Next up, a JPMorgan neighborhood: Inside America’s biggest city, its biggest bank has been piecing together a multi-block campus. Bloomberg
The stage is set for luxury’s long-awaited revival: After months of sluggish demand, early signs point to a turnaround in the luxury market — with LVMH poised to lead fashion’s next upswing. CNA
The silver bullet fallacy: The idea that a lot of problems are difficult to fully solve doesn’t mean we should stop trying. Tim Harford
One of the world's biggest AI companies wants a deal with Canada. Is sovereignty the trade-off? Company needs energy to power massive centres to store AI data. CBC
AI-related data centres use vast amounts of water. But gauging how much is a murky business: As tech companies spend billions on data centres, citizens around the world are starting to push back. CBC
Fears over higher rates as Georgia moves to provide more electricity for AI datacenters: Guardian reports the state’s Republican-led public service commission to decide on power expansion and prices, as Democrats vie for voice.
AI has a cargo cult problem: Spending vast sums and inflating an investment bubble is no guarantee of unleashing technological magic. Gillian Tett
AI is killing the magic: Not knowing whether art originated in someone’s heart or a data centre is a major enjoyment-killer. Jemima Kelly
Are large language models the problem, not the solution? Why smaller may be better when it comes to AI. FC
How well founded are fears of a dotcom-style AI bubble? The IMF and Bank of England have warned of a looming ‘correction’ but there are reasons to think artificial intelligence is about to start turning a profit. Tom Calver
I know the real reasons behind fears of a dotcom-style AI bubble: Central bankers are duty bound to compile dusty reports — and self-publicising bankers (and columnists) like to look clever. But should we really be worried? Simon French
The end of the old Instagram: Efforts to make social media safe for teenagers are starting to get a little weird. Kaitlyn Tiffany
Smart glasses shouldn’t be the next smartphones: Tech giants are trying to convince us that a screen glued to our eyes is liberation, not intrusion. Catherine Thorbecke
What it’s really like working in China’s brutal gig economy: Hu Anyan held 19 jobs in six Chinese cities after he graduated — in I Deliver Parcels in Beijing he exposes a system of relentless grind, where it’s near impossible to make a living. The Times
Enter the season of the witch - We’re all nasty women now: In an unusual turn at the UK premiere of Hamnet last weekend, the audience were invited to take part in a “little ritual” by the film’s director Chloé Zhao. For a short, quite uncomfortable few minutes, I took part in a breathing exercise “to honour the presence that you graciously chose to share with us.” Jo Ellison
What’s so great about ‘Slow Horses’? This scene says it all. The British spy show owes its sarcasm and wit to Mick Herron’s novels. Our critic AO Scott breaks down a few sentences from Herron’s latest, “Clown Town.” NYT
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal
A11. | October 20
