The theory behind Trump’s gunboat diplomacy: Venezuela has become Trump’s test of hemispheric reengineering. Politico
Trump’s pivot to the Americas: Renewed focus on Latin America is a welcome shift—but only if it truly advances US interests. Leon Hadar
Miami Herald: Venezuela claims capture of CIA group, accuses US of plotting ‘false flag’ attack
Venezuela ‘captures CIA operatives’: Telegraph reports Nicolas Maduro claims group of mercenaries were carrying out a ‘false flag operation.’
Venezuela claims CIA 'false flag' attack foiled, as US deploys bombers: AFP reports Venezuela claimed Monday to have dismantled a CIA-financed cell plotting a false-flag attack on a US warship deployed to the southern Caribbean, as Washington stepped up pressure on Caracas by flying bombers nearby.
+ Senator Rick Scott (R-FL): “If I was Maduro, I'd head to Russia or China right now. His days are numbered. Something is going to happen.”
AP: US warship docks in Trinidad and Tobago, putting more pressure on Venezuela
The meaning of America’s vast military build-up off Venezuela: The world’s largest aircraft-carrier is making for the Venezuelan coast. Its military aims are unclear. Economist
Trump is circling Maduro. This points to a dark history. The White House is ratcheting up military pressure on Venezuelan dictator Nicolás Maduro. Max Boot
Trump is planning to invade Venezuela. We ought to thank him: If the United States is again engaging positively in world affairs, the rest of us should applaud. Daniel Hannan
The real reason Trump is preparing for war with Venezuela: Aim of new campaign against cartels is, in part, to rid America’s backyard of Chinese influence. Telegraph
Hurricane Melissa collides with US military mission in Caribbean: WP reports President Donald Trump’s military campaign against drug cartels in Latin America could soon reckon with a natural disaster and humanitarian crisis in the region.
Hurricane Melissa tracker: Mapping Jamaica’s category 5 storm: The Times reports the hurricane is expected to bring two and a half metres of rain and winds of 160mph.
Jamaica orders evacuation of capital as major hurricane approaches: Telegraph reports Hurricane Melissa has already killed people in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.
AI-generated fakes proliferate as Hurricane Melissa nears Jamaica: AFP reports AI-generated videos were clogging social media feeds Monday as Hurricane Melissa surged toward Jamaica, diverting attention from critical safety information about the massive Category 5 storm.
Bloomberg: Milei’s party wins Argentina midterm vote in major comeback
Milei’s clear-cut victory unlocks a Wall Street windfall: WSJ reports the win for Argentine President Javier Milei’s party is rewarding investors who bet on the country.
Javier Milei has won a fresh mandate to remake Argentina: A thumping win for his party in the midterms means his radical economic project gains new strength. Economist
Argentina's President Milei says he will seek consensus for new reform push: BAT reports in first interview since his stunning win in Sunday’s midterm elections, Argentina’s President Javier Milei says he will look to achieve labour and tax reforms, followed by changes to the pension system.
After US bailout, Argentine voters give Milei a friendlier Congress: WP reports the vote in Sunday’s midterms came as the United States finalized an up to $40 billion bailout package for Argentina, an effort to boost President Javier Milei.
Argentine bonds and currency surge after victory for Javier Milei’s party: FT reports investors bet that electoral endorsement will keep president’s market-friendly reforms on track.
Milei’s moment? Election triumph hands libertarian shot at reform: Firebrand economist must build alliances to push through structural change in Argentina, analysts say. FT
Argentina’s Milei gets a second wind: After his coalition’s election victory, will he try more durable monetary reform? WSJ-Editorial
Milei’s big win opens a rare window for Argentina Juan Pablo Spinetto
Argentina’s landslide election should be good news to American ears: Voters just delivered a free-market mandate. WP-Editorial
Trump projects peacemaker image at Cambodia-Thailand deal ceremony: WP reports President Donald Trump kicked off his Asia trip in Malaysia by dancing on the tarmac before signing an agreement that formalizes a Thailand-Cambodia ceasefire.
As Trump tours Asia, democracy’s ideals aren’t on the agenda: The durability of the American experiment has been tested in the nine months since President Donald Trump’s return to the White House, with institutions from Congress to the judiciary struggling or declining to check his aggressive attempts to flout the law and expand his power. Straits Times
Asia gets the Trump treatment: After meeting leaders in Japan and South Korea, the president has a summit with Xi. Walter Russell Mead
Japan woos Trump with a royal welcome: WP reports meeting with emperor, though short on pomp, aims to warm up president at start of visit.
Donald Trump hails ‘great friendship’ with Japan: FT reports US president’s talks with new prime minister Sanae Takaichi expected to focus on trade and security.
Japan’s new PM Takaichi has an advantage in winning over Trump: Straits Times reports that when Ms Takaichi holds talks with Mr Trump in Tokyo on Oct 28, she will have another card to play as she tries to win reassurance from him on trade and security. She is expected to emphasise her connection to Mr Shinzo Abe, the Japanese prime minister assassinated in 2022, who was Ms Takaichi’s political mentor and who forged a closer bond with Mr Trump than perhaps any other world leader.
Japan’s new prime minister has two excellent models for Trump summit: Sanae Takaichi would do well to channel Shinzo Abe and Margaret Thatcher in her US dealings. Kurt Campbell
For Japan's new leader, the key to connecting with Trump could be a Ford F-150 truck AP
Trapped between US and China, South Korea feels trade war’s pressure: A preliminary tariff deal with President Trump called for a large investment in the United States, while China has warned Seoul not to side with Washington. NYT
Trump open to extending Asia trip to meet with Kim Jong Un: WP reports the president said it would be “pretty easy” to meet with the North Korean leader on his Asia tour, but White House officials have downplayed the likelihood.
Is the US losing in Vietnam? Russia, North Korea, and China are gaining. US allies worry that American volatility and Russian outreach and arms sales, in particular, are driving Vietnam into a new phase. NYT
Two US Navy aircraft from same carrier crash into South China Sea: WSJ reports Trump calls incidents ‘highly unusual’ and suggests fuel problem as possible cause.
China deepens ties with ASEAN ahead of Xi-Trump talks: Beijing to sign enhanced trade deal with bloc at Kuala Lumpur summit. Nikkei
Trump’s China deal may avert a crisis of his own making: The Trump administration is hailing a potential deal that may return the US-China relationship to where it was before the president began a trade war against Beijing. NYT
Xi gives Trump a Taiwan test: China’s president wants the US to oppose the democratic island’s independence. WSJ-Editorial
Trump, Xi, and the danger for Taiwan: The US president has unnerved Taiwan. But the island can still resist Beijing. Gideon Rachman
Taiwan's 'southbound' strategy hits headwinds in Southeast Asia: US tariffs and weaker returns test the island's companies that once fled China. Nikkei
Trump dangles prospect of Mar-a-Lago visit for Xi: Politico reports US president hints at reciprocal summits with Chinese leader next year as trade talks are revived.
Xi Jinping’s latest purge: Paranoid or purposeful? What the biggest military crackdown in decades says about his strength. Economist
China’s secret stockpiles have been a great success—so far: Xi Jinping is desperate for Trump-proof access to food, fuels, and metals. Economist
Russian President Vladimir Putin met North Korea’s top diplomat during her visit to Moscow as the two countries continue to deepen their military cooperation.
Reuters: Russia tested new nuclear-powered Burevestnik cruise missile
Reuters: Trump says Putin should end the Ukraine war, not test missiles
Trump rebukes Putin for testing new missiles, tells him to end the war: WP reports Russia tested a nuclear-powered cruise missile that it said is capable of traveling thousands of miles. Trump countered that there is a US nuclear submarine off Russia’s coast.
Russia ramps up its military offensive in eastern Ukraine: FT reports the Ukrainian stronghold of Pokrovsk comes under heavy fire as Russian troops enter city.
The conscripts preparing to resist Russia on Finland’s frigid border: On the frontier with Russia, the ‘iPhone and PlayStation generation’ is being trained to expect the worst since the invasion of Ukraine. The Times
Lithuania closes its border with Belarus: Le Monde reports the Baltic state condemned a violation of its airspace after dozens of helium-filled balloons launched from Belarus forced Vilnius Airport to close four times in recent days.
Lukoil, a Russian oil giant, announced it would sell its international operations following American sanctions, and said it was fielding bids from potential buyers.
Prime Minister Viktor Orban said he’ll meet US President Donald Trump to try to shield Hungary from the impact of US sanctions on Russian oil.
London’s sad decline is a warning to New Yorkers: In three terms as mayor, Sadiq Khan has crushed the economic life out of Britain’s capital. Matthew Lynn
European industry caught in crossfire of China's rare earths war: Le Monde reports Western technology sectors, including automotive, defense, aerospace, energy, and chemicals, have raised the alarm over Beijing's new restrictions on the export of these strategic minerals.
Amsterdam turns 750.
AP: Sudan’s paramilitary forces overrun the army’s last stronghold in the Darfur region
Sudan’s paramilitary forces seize el-Fasher, army’s last Darfur stronghold: Le Monde reports military chief General Abdel-Fattah Burhan said on Monday that military officers decided to withdraw from the city entirely in hopes of sparing the civilian population from further violence. Medical groups reported dozens of civilians killed.
BNP Paribas confronts its past over Sudan sanctions breach: A jury told the bank to pay millions to victims of the country’s genocidal regime, but it vows to fight back. FT
Brazil: Ex-leader Bolsonaro appeals 27-year prison sentence: DW reports former Brazilian President Jair Bolsonaro was found guilty of plotting a military coup in September. He has always maintained his innocence.
G+M: Trump agrees to an extension with Mexico for trade talks, Sheinbaum says
US gives Mexico more time to meet demands to avoid tariffs: NYT reports taxes on goods from Mexico had been set to go into effect at the end of the week.
G+M: Carney says he will meet Chinese President Xi at APEC summit
Canada's Carney 'ready' to resume US trade talks, Trump says won't meet 'for a while': Le Monde reports after a week of heightened tensions between the two neighboring countries regarding tariffs, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney opened the door to renewed trade talks with the US.
Carney saw Reagan anti-tariff ad before it aired, Ford says: G+M reports Ontario Premier calls it ‘the most successful ad in the history of North America.’
Bloomberg: Ontario premier says he’s not sorry for ad that blew up trade talks
+ “You know why President Trump is so upset right now? It was because it was effective. It was working. It woke up the whole country,” Ford said.
Doug Ford has no regrets about ‘viral’ Reagan ad that angered Donald Trump: While Ontario has paused the $75 million campaign after Ford spoke with Prime Minister Mark Carney, the premier insisted Monday it was effective. Toronto Star
Canada vs. the US: The World Series has taken on symbolic significance amid worsening relations between the two countries. Kelly Candaele
How Trump pressures the world into burning more oil and gas: As COP30 nears, the US’s pressure to keep fossil fuels relevant may empower petrostates, potentially giving them more leverage at the UN talks. Bloomberg
Largest federal workers union calls for an end to the shutdown, putting pressure on Democrats: In a statement first shared with NBC News, the American Federation of Government Employees' president calls on Congress to pass a "clean continuing resolution."
Largest federal workers union calls for ‘clean’ bill to end shutdown: WP reports the American Federation of Government Employees, which represents more than 800,000 federal and DC government workers, said the shutdown is punishing the very people who keep the country running.
CNN: Democrats unflinching in shutdown strategy, blaming Trump with millions at risk of losing food aid
Bloomberg: Staffers feel shutdown pinch as House paycheck day approaches
The shutdown is a knife at a gunfight: The two sides may forge a deal, but what difference will it make to a president who doesn’t respect Congress at all? David Frum
Shutdown challenges Republicans’ vow to never end the filibuster: WSJ reports GOP senators gave their word to protect the 60-vote rule. ‘I’m praying to God they keep it,’ says former Sen. Joe Manchin.
Trump asks Supreme Court to let him fire the top copyright official: NYT reports an appeals court sided with the director of the US Copyright Office, saying her role is to work with Congress.
Americans caught between Trump's cruelty and Democrats' chaos: In a new focus group of 55 swing voters and a national survey of 800 general election voters and 516 voters in battleground House districts, both conducted with Normington Petts, we found an electorate caught between two unsatisfying extremes: the cruelty of Trump’s policies and the perception that Democrats can’t maintain order at the border. This research builds on our March poll and takes a closer look at how Americans view the One Big Beautiful Bill’s immigration provisions—and what messages best equip Democrats to push back. Sarah Pierce + Lanae Erickson
How Mamdani’s Brooklyn became the heart of the Democrats’ civil war: Progressives have turned the New York City borough into a battleground between the center and left wings of the party. WSJ
Zohran Mamdani leads New York mayoral race, rattling Democratic establishment: A week before the vote, the self-proclaimed socialist leads the polls after a savvy campaign on the cost of living. But his stance to the left of the party unsettles even his own camp, while questions linger over the funding of his social platform. Le Monde
Indiana Republicans call special session to redraw Congressional map: WSJ reports Republican and Democratic legislatures are hoping to tilt the US House their way in redistricting war.
MI-GOV: Republican US Rep. John James and Democratic Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson led the two major parties' primary fields for governor in fundraising over the last three months, according to disclosures due Monday.
Trump: I would love to run for third term: Telegraph reports Donald Trump suggested JD Vance and Marco Rubio could run for president in 2028 but did not rule himself out of the race. Teasing the possibility of an unprecedented third term, Trump said he would “love to” run again. Speaking to reporters on Air Force One en route to Japan during his tour of Asia, Trump said: “I would love to do it. I have my best numbers ever.”
Trump says a recent MRI scan was ‘perfect,’ and he’d ‘love’ a third term: NYT reports President Trump made the comments on the second day of his trip to Asia. The Constitution limits presidents to two terms, but Mr. Trump has suggested he might try to circumvent it.
Karine Jean-Pierre feels that Democrats were so mean to Biden that she is becoming an Independent.
‘CBS Evening News’ co-anchor John Dickerson leaving network: WSJ reports the 16-year CBS veteran is to step down at the end of the year.
Anxious and disillusioned: Being young in Trump’s America: Students in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania — where the FT is reporting over the next four years — reflect the angst of peers across the US. FT
Reuters: Fed poised to cut rates this week, with more easing likely on tap
America’s hottest new investment: Rare-earth companies: WSJ reports US and private financiers pour money into critical minerals, believing China won’t ever be a reliable supplier again.
Toyota to make hybrids in Vietnam, betting their time has come: Nikkei reports Japanese automaker to invest $360m to boost capacity.
NextEra Energy plans to restart a nuclear power plant in Iowa, primarily to supply Google data centers.
Google agrees deal to reopen US nuclear plant with NextEra: FT reports Duane Arnold Energy Center expected to start delivering power in 2029.
Advanced Micro Devices is teaming up with the US Energy Department to develop a pair of supercomputers at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory that will deploy the company’s artificial intelligence chips to seek breakthroughs in energy and scientific research.
Why big oil is missing out on the AI energy bonanza: A looming supply glut is weighing on giants from Exxon to Shell. Economist
Nvidia + Deutsche Telekom AG are preparing to announce plans for a €1 billion data center in Germany as part of a broader push to develop more infrastructure across Europe to power AI systems.
Qualcomm launches AI chips to challenge Nvidia’s dominance: WSJ reports shares in the semiconductor maker rose as much as 20% in Monday trading.
How artificial intelligence is transforming the defence industry: With the rise in hybrid threats and intimidating manœuvres from hostile powers, France has joined the race to develop intelligent weapons. From radars that use AI to exponentially increase their detection and reconnaissance capacities, to weapons with AI to help take decisions, to algorithms allowing for multiple drones and robots to operate together, the range of applications is wide, and the technology is developing at breakneck speed. AFP
Silicon Valley called — the 1990s are back: How today’s artificial intelligence boom is both different from, and similar to, what came before. Rana Foroohar
‘Do not trust your eyes’: AI generates surge in expense fraud: Business software groups warn that top AI models are increasingly being used to create ultra-realistic fake receipts. FT
The end of the rip-off economy: From finance and medicine to used cars, artificial intelligence is radically improving market efficiency. Economist
Meta moved its top metaverse executive to oversee AI products following hundreds of job cuts last week, a sign the company is still working to structure its teams even as it spends aggressively to compete in the heated artificial intelligence race.
Zuckerberg appoints former metaverse executive to boost AI efforts: FT reports Vishal Shah takes on key role after Meta AI video service Vibes overshadowed by OpenAI’s Sora.
JPMorgan offers staff AI chatbot to help write performance reviews: FT reports the move allows employees to use bank’s large language model to generate reviews from their own prompts.
Sequoia Capital invests in AI tool that could replace junior bankers: Rogo says its AI platform helps investment bankers work faster and smarter. Bloomberg
Amazon’s AWS shows signs of weakness as competitors charge ahead: Bloomberg reports that the company that invented the cloud business is widely perceived as trailing its rivals in artificial intelligence.
Amazon plans to cut corporate jobs in several key departments, including logistics, payments, video games, and the cloud-computing unit, according to people familiar with the matter. The terminations, expected as soon as Tuesday, could affect as many as 30,000 jobs, Reuters reported on Monday, citing sources.
Amazon to lay off up to 30,000 corporate workers: WSJ reports the job cuts would amount to roughly 10% of the online giant’s corporate workforce.
Elon Musk says AI research into ancient Rome will ‘rewrite history’: The Times reports the world’s richest man is financing a new age of archaeological projects that seek to use artificial intelligence to fill in knowledge gaps.
Elon Musk briefly launches a Wikipedia rival that extols his own vision: WP reports the right-leaning tech magnate is touting his own online encyclopedia as an unbiased alternative, but it went down after about an hour.
Wealthsimple hits $10-billion valuation milestone with $750-million financing: G+M reports online financial-services provider raises $750-million, becomes one of few Canadian tech companies to achieve milestone.
Delta Air Lines plans to start direct flights from Atlanta to Riyadh.
Domino’s Pizza shares soared after the Australian Financial Review reported that Bain Capital is considering buying the fast-food chain in a deal worth as much as A$4 billion ($2.6 billion).
‘Yellowstone’ creator Taylor Sheridan to leave Paramount for NBCUniversal: WSJ reports Sheridan’s hits for Paramount include ‘Tulsa King’ and ‘Landman.’ In addition to TV shows, he will make movies for NBCUniversal.
Telegraph: Sydney Sweeney wants to be the next James Bond
The office is back: A top NYC developer on the future of cities: Gary Barnett looks ahead at new skyscrapers, the rise of automation—and why an IKEA makes sense in Midtown Manhattan. WSJ
The secrets to Hermès’s reign as one of the world’s most valuable companies: It’s not all about the Birkins. Inside the 188-year-old house that has become the most durable brand in luxury—and the most radical. WSJ
Amazon's Prime releases trailer for 'unprecedented' Paul McCartney documentary: AFP reports music legend Paul McCartney is adding another string to his bow in his long and winding career, with the announcement Monday of a new documentary about his life after the Beatles.
Daily steps more beneficial in ‘one long walk’ not shorter strolls: The Times reports early death and cardiovascular disease are significantly lower in people who go walking for longer than 15 minutes, a study shows.
Inside Brian Kelly's messy firing at LSU: How it all unraveled so quickly in Baton Rouge: How did Kelly's firing extend to Louisiana's governor? Who's footing the buyout bill? LSU's chaotic situation is a product of several problems. Yahoo
+ “It’s the most Louisiana thing ever that the governor is directly involved in a decision over a football coach,” said one LSU influencer.
All the college football coaches are getting fired: LSU’s Brian Kelly becomes the latest exile in a historic early season purge. He’ll reportedly get $50 million plus to walk away. Jason Gay
Vikings QB Carson Wentz to undergo shoulder surgery, will miss rest of season.
What goes into making the Toronto Blue Jays home run jacket: ‘It has to be put together piece by piece’: The celebratory garment is designed in-house and constructed by a fan whose own tribute jacket caught the team’s eye. Toronto Star
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal
Caracal Daily | October 28
