ITK Daily | February 21
Russian Spies, US Army, Anthropic, Sam Mendes, Kylian Mbappé, plus 1,000 more actionable insights.
ITK Daily is geopolitical business news + intelligence for comms pros.
Always Be Communicating.
Happy Wednesday.
Here’s today’s ITK Daily:
*** Globalization + Geopolitics ***
The real challenge of Trump 2.0: The world will need new ways to cope with the same old tactics. Peter D. Feaver
Russian spies are back—and more dangerous than ever: The Kremlin’s intelligence agencies have learned from their mistakes over the past two years. Economist
WP: Navalnaya steps up to lead fight vs. Putin as morgue retains her husband’s body
Inside Aleksei Navalny’s final months, in his own words: Trump. Indian food. Matthew Perry. And books, books, books. Excerpts from letters obtained by The Times show Mr. Navalny’s active mind, even amid brutal prison conditions. NYT
+ The Biden administration is planning to roll out a “major sanctions package” against Moscow this week in response to the death of Russian opposition leader Aleksei Navalny
AP: Putin is trying to take advantage of a stalemate in Ukraine but the war is also draining for Russia
Bloomberg: US tells allies Russia may put nuclear weapon in space this year
Biden admin was working behind closed doors to dissuade Russia from testing space weapon: Politico reports administration officials say last week’s revelations might have jeopardized US efforts to dissuade Russia from moving forward.
Reports from the Munich Security Conference: Ukraine’s worsening prospects on the battlefield and questions about America’s commitment to Kyiv dominated the annual event.
AP: Biden wants people to know most of the money he’s seeking for Ukraine would be spent in the US
Le Monde: Can Ukraine still win? Why the outcome of the war depends on ammunition
Hundreds of Ukrainian troops feared captured or missing in chaotic retreat: NYT reports the fall of Avdiivka to Russia may be more significant than it initially seemed as Ukraine struggles with morale and recruitment.
Being Ukrainian in 2024: 'People look at me as if I'm terminally ill': Two years after the assault on Kyiv, it’s getting harder to stay optimistic. Politico
Israel is building road bisecting Gaza in next phase of war: WSJ reports the East-West road is meant to facilitate movement of troops and logistical support.
America vetoed a UN Security Council resolution, proposed by Algeria, which demanded an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and warned of the forced displacement of Palestinians.
Brazil's president stirs controversy by comparing war in Gaza to the Holocaust: Le Monde reports invited to the African Union summit in Addis Ababa, Lula condemned the Israeli army's violence in Gaza and refused to blame Vladimir Putin's regime for the death of Russian opposition figure Alexei Navalny.
Bloomberg: Brazil pulls ambassador in Israel in escalating diplomatic row
+ Tension began when Lula compared war in Gaza to Holocaust
+ Israel reprimanded top Brazilian diplomat, said Lula unwelcome
Vietnam dangles semiconductor incentives to draw foreign companies: FT reports Hanoi pledges ambitious programmes as it competes with Asian rivals such as Malaysia in burgeoning chip sector.
Japan bets $67 billion to become a global chip powerhouse once again: US-China tech battle makes semiconductors a key economic security concern for policymakers. Bloomberg
Bloomberg: Japan moves to allow investment funds to hold crypto
+ Limited partnerships can buy crypto under proposed rule-change
+ Venture capital, investment funds raise capital from LPs
How scared is China of Donald Trump’s return? 61% tariffs are likely, yet some Chinese nationalists are cheering him on. Economist
Chinese companies revive Mao Zedong-era militias: People’s Liberation Army mobilization units reflect Xi Jinping’s focus on security as the economy slows. FT
North Korean hackers use AI for more sophisticated scams: FT reports cyber criminals backed by Pyongyang turn to artificial intelligence as they try to secure funds.
The European Union investigates TikTok’s “addictive design”: EU regulators are examining whether the short-video app puts young people at risk of being exposed to harmful content, potentially violating the political bloc’s Digital Services Act.
Brussels is determined to break down the garden walls of internet giants like Apple: The 'Financial Times' reported that the European Commission has fined the company $500 million for 'abuse of a dominant position.' This decision, enforceable on the oligopoly, showcases the EU's determination to regulate the digital world. Philippe Escande
A northern mayor’s left-wing challenge to Labour: Can Jamie Driscoll emulate Ken Livingstone? Economist
Emmanuel Macron wants more frequent trips out of the media spotlight: Since 2017, the president has sought to limit the access of journalists and now wishes to meet the French public 'away from the press.' The practice is unthinkable in other major democracies. Le Monde
Hungary forges closer ties to China with new security pact: Viktor Orban, the populist prime minister who has repeatedly clashed with the EU, hailed the ‘longstanding friendship’ between Budapest and Beijing. The Times
The wife of Haiti’s assassinated president is accused in his killing: NYT reports Martine Moïse, the widow of President Jovenel Moïse, was charged by a Haitian judge with conspiring in his assassination. She was seriously injured in the attack.
Russia, Venezuela to boost cooperation in energy, including nuclear: AFP reports anti-American allies Russia and Venezuela vowed to boost cooperation in oil and gas production and the "peaceful use of nuclear energy" at a meeting of foreign ministers in Caracas Tuesday.
The quiet diplomat who shaped Biden’s global economic policy: Mike Pyle, who will leave the administration this month, helped broker agreement with Europe and other allies over clean energy, China, and Russian sanctions. NYT
Does the US Army’s future lie in Europe or Asia? It could not wage wars in both at the same time. Economist
Europe must stand on its own two feet on defense: It is reasonable to ask if US support has made Europe neglect its security. JD Vance
*** US Politics + Elections ***
CNN: Biden instructed aides to dial up attacks on Trump’s wild comments
Biden campaign touts $42M raised in January: Politico reports the Democratic president and DNC ended January with $130 million cash on hand.
Biden has a high-tech problem in Michigan: Biden sold a tax break by pumping up a Michigan microchip supplier — then left the company out in the cold. Politico
Haley vows not to drop out, calls Trump ‘meaner and more offensive by the day’: Politico reports the former South Carolina governor says she isn’t going anywhere, will stay in “until the last person votes.”
Trump allies prepare to infuse ‘Christian nationalism’ in second administration: Spearheading the effort is Russell Vought, president of The Center for Renewing America, part of a conservative consortium preparing for Trump’s return to power. Politico
+ Russell Vought is president of The Center for Renewing America think tank, a leading group in a conservative consortium preparing for a second Trump term.
A nerve center for the right wing rises in Washington: The Conservative Partnership Institute has become a breeding ground for the next generation of Trump loyalists and an incubator for policies he might pursue. Its fast growth is raising questions. NYT
Trump’s donor numbers fall by 200,000 compared with 2019: FT reports the drop sparks Republican concerns about depth of enthusiasm for party’s 2024 presidential frontrunner.
Those $399 gold Trump sneakers are about a lot more than shoes: What is Trump really selling when he is selling footwear? NYT
Biden’s EV dreams are a nightmare for Tesla and the US car industry: Designed to cut China’s influence over global metals markets, the Inflation Reduction Act has also made life more difficult for US carmakers. Bloomberg
Data show the economy is booming. Wall Street thinks otherwise. Analysts have picked apart a string of hot reports on economic growth, the labor market and inflation. WSJ
Wall Street is already placing bets on the Biden-Trump rematch: Traders and strategists are thinking about all the ways that November’s election could alter the mood in markets. NYT
Political deepfakes will hijack your brain — if you let them: AI-created images and audio are so good most people can’t tell them from the real thing. But we can rely on critical thinking instead. F.D. Flam
US House forms AI task force as legislative push stalls: Reuters reports House Speaker Mike Johnson, a Republican, and Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries said the task force would be charged with producing a comprehensive report and consider "guardrails that may be appropriate to safeguard the nation against current and emerging threats."
+ The task force will not write legislation, but it will produce a report outlining guiding principles and making broad policy recommendations.
+ Two Californian representatives, Democrat Ted Lieu and Republican Jay Obernolte, will lead the committee.
CNN: These six young people died by gun violence. Now their AI-generated voices are sending gun control pleas to lawmakers
Pentagon explores military uses of large language models: Washington’s top military AI officials are gathering with industry executives this week to discuss the prospects of large language models and other emerging AI technologies. WP
50: US states are clamoring to pass legislation to curb the worst effects of AI. By one measure, there are about 50 new AI-related bills introduced to state legislatures each week.
Riding his baseball fame, Steve Garvey disrupts the California Senate race: A fierce contest between Democratic members of Congress has become a strategic battle that could send the 75-year-old Republican to the general election. He still has little chance of winning office, however. NYT
New York Times publisher AG Sulzberger: “Our industry needs to think bigger”: Sulzberger will deliver the 2024 Reuters Memorial Lecture. In this exclusive interview, he discusses his role in shaping the paper and preserving its values. Reuters Institute
*** Disruption + Innovation ***
When eyes in the sky start looking right at you: New satellites that orbit the Earth at very low altitudes may result in a world where nothing is really off limits. NYT
The New York Times is recruiting partners to test new ad-targeting solutions using generative artificial intelligence (GenAI) beginning next quarter, executives told Axios. It plans to make the new tool widely available to marketers in the second half of the year.
Inside the funding frenzy at Anthropic, one of AI’s hottest start-ups: The company raised $7.3 billion over the last year, as the lure of artificial intelligence changes Silicon Valley deal-making. NYT
OpenAI’s Sam Altman has plans for AI that could mean big money for Intel: The semiconductor industry and US policy leaders both see immense value in a strong, US-based foundry for AI chips. Daniel Newman
An unnamed AI company just inked a licensing deal worth a reported $60M with Reddit: The agreement will allow the company to train AI models on Reddit’s user-generated content.
1,300: Training a large language model is estimated to use about 1,300 megawatt hours of electricity. It’s about the same consumption of 130 US homes for one year.
Masayoshi Son is raising $100 billion for an AI chip firm — mostly from investors in the Middle East.
Can AI porn be ethical? As demand for responsive sexbots grows, some developers are trying to thread the needle between fully neutered and fully uncensored AI. Guardian
Capital One’s $35.3 billion takeover to buy Discover Financial Services will create a colossus in the fast-growing credit card industry and a more powerful force in the payment networks that underpin the consumer economy.
The big miss on electric cars is remaking Europe’s auto industry: An ‘Airbus of autos’ is one of the ideas being floated to help Europe’s carmakers fend off existential threats. Bloomberg
Volkswagen leans on electric vehicles and nostalgia to grow in US: It and other foreign automakers are trying to exploit upheaval caused by new technology to gain market share from their dominant rivals. NYT
Rivian hires new marketing leader as it prepares to unveil first economy line: Meta and Amazon veteran joins the EV startup, which will soon take reservations for its key R2 lineup. WSJ
For Michigan’s economy, electric vehicles are promising and scary: In a presidential battleground state, electric vehicles have emerged as a contested piece of the economic future — a job-killer or a job-creator. NYT
Samsung and LG join forces against Chinese rivals in battle for display dominance: FT reports after taking over mass-market LCDs, Chinese manufacturers are threatening to undercut South Korean makers on premium OLED technology.
WSJ: Amazon is joining the Dow Jones Industrial Average
AFP: Walmart says it will buy TV maker Vizio for $2.3 bn
AFP: The Body Shop to shut nearly half of UK shops
*** Culture ***
The tyranny of the algorithm: Why every coffee shop looks the same: From the generic hipster cafe to the ‘Instagram wall’, the internet has pushed us towards a kind of global ubiquity – and this phenomenon is only going to intensify. Kyle Chayka
Refik Anadol’s use of AI has made him the artist of the moment: His work seems to be everywhere, blurring the boundaries between art and engineering. Economist
Directors should 'control' tech, not fear it: Scorsese: AFP reports US cinema legend Martin Scorsese said Tuesday directors should harness technology to serve their "voice" rather than fearing it will kill their industry.
Fab Four: Sam Mendes to direct four Beatles biopic films: AFP reports the Fab Four are back, with each member of the iconic Beatles to be immortalized in their own big screen biopic, all directed by Sam Mendes, Sony Pictures said on Tuesday.
*** Sport ***
AFP: British billionaire Ratcliffe completes purchase of minority stake in Man Utd
The 10-year chase to land soccer’s modern megastar: Real Madrid has been chasing Kylian Mbappé since he was 14 years old. The Spanish club finally appears to have its man. WSJ
An old-school Las Vegas bookie takes on a new era of sports betting WP
FuboTV sues to block ESPN, Warner, and Fox Sports-streaming service: WSJ reports the lawsuit claims the companies behind the planned platform have forced Fubo “to broadcast unwanted, expensive content.”
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
ITK Daily | February 21
