US and Russian officials draft new peace plan for Ukraine: FT reports that the proposal envisages major concessions by Kyiv and rollback of American military assistance.
Trump administration pushes new plan for ending Ukraine war: WSJ reports the 28-point proposal drafted by some of the president’s closest aides is likely to face strong opposition from Ukraine.
US-Russian peace plan would force Ukraine to cede land and cut army: NYT reports the 28-point proposal, which comes as the Trump administration tries to restart settlement talks, includes demands long rejected by Kyiv as nonstarters.
+ The 28-point US plan is inspired by President Trump's successful push for a deal in Gaza. A top Russian official told Axios he's optimistic about the plan. It's not yet clear how Ukraine and its European backers will feel about it.
+ The Trump administration has been secretly working in consultation with Russia to draft a new plan to end the war in Ukraine, US and Russian officials tell Axios.
US pushes Ukraine to halve army in secret peace plan with Kremlin: The Times reports Kyiv could also be asked to surrender the Donbas and give up its most powerful weapons in return for an end to Putin’s war.
Axios: Scoop: Trump plan asks Ukraine to cede additional territory for security guarantee
Ukraine told to accept cash-for-land deal with Putin: Telegraph reports Russia would keep control of Donbas region in exchange for rental fee under US plan.
US pushes new Ukraine peace plan as US Army secretary visits Kyiv: WP reports the administration is renewing efforts to end the war, pitching a revised ceasefire proposal and giving a top military official an unusual diplomatic assignment.
Top US Army officials visit Kyiv on peace and tech sharing mission: Politico reports it's the highest-level visit by the Trump administration to the war-torn country since Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent traveled to Kyiv in February.
Congress plots path for Russia sanctions bill with Trump’s blessing: Politico reports Senate Majority Leader John Thune says he believes the legislative effort should begin in the House.
Zelensky under siege as corruption case shatters Ukraine’s wartime unity: NYT reports an anti-Zelensky political coalition is coalescing as the president’s allies are accused of enriching themselves while the country’s soldiers die on the battlefield.
Don’t let a scandal undermine the defence of Ukraine: Outrage is justified. Letting Vladimir Putin win would be disastrous. Economist
NATO on alert as Poland accuses Russia of ‘state terrorism’ in rail blast: WP reports tensions rose after a blast damaged the Warsaw-Lublin rail line, which has been used to deliver aid to Ukraine, and a Russian missile attack killed at least 25 people in Ternopil.
+ Poland closed its last remaining Russian consulate and accused Russia of “state terrorism” days after a railway explosion wrecked tracks leading to Poland’s border with Ukraine.
John Healey says Russia laser provocation ushers in ‘hard power’ era: After the ‘deeply dangerous’ actions by the spy ship Yantar, the defence secretary sent a defiant message directly to President Putin: ‘We see you.’ The Times
Trump wants Germany to take over NATO: Ambassador Matthew Whitaker calls for a European general to take over alliance’s top military role. Telegraph
Italy approves Nord Stream suspect's Germany extradition: DW reports Italy's highest court has upheld a lower court verdict approving the extradition of the suspected ringleader of the Nord Stream gas pipeline sabotage to Germany. The Ukrainian national's lawyer announced the news.
AP: Israel’s military carries out strikes in Lebanon and Gaza, killing dozens of people
Israeli strikes kill at least 25 in Gaza amid truce, officials say: NYT reports Israel’s military said it had launched attacks across Gaza after Palestinian militants shot at its troops. The six-week-old cease-fire has been pierced periodically by bursts of violence.
Bodies keep turning up in Syria, haunting new leaders: In the months after the fall of the Assad regime, Syrians have continued to discover large-scale burial sites, sometimes by chance. ‘Everyone who’s missing now…they’re buried in the ground somewhere.’ WSJ
Bloomberg: US approves sale of 35,000 AI chips to UAE’s G42, Saudis’ Humain
US approves deal to sell AI chips to Middle East: WSJ reports agreement follows talks between President Trump and Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Musk’s xAI and Nvidia to develop data center in Saudi Arabia: WSJ reports executives unveiled plans at Wednesday gathering featuring President Trump, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.
Saudi Arabia’s prince has big plans, but his giant fund is low on cash: NYT reports that after nearly a decade of expensive, hit-and-miss investments, Mohammed bin Salman is overseeing a behind-the-scenes restructuring of the kingdom’s all-important wealth fund.
The art of a deal with Saudi Arabia: Trump says he’ll sell the F-35 fighter jets and more. What is MBS willing to give? WSJ-Editorial
Bloomberg: Trump’s green light of Saudi F-35s for MBS is only the beginning
AP: Trump says he'll push for peace in Sudan after Saudi crown prince urged greater US involvement
Can Chinese-made buses be hacked? Norway drove one down a mine to find out: The growing prevalence of Chinese technology in Europe’s infrastructure is stoking security concerns across the region. WSJ
Chinese spies targeted ‘thousands’ in Westminster operation: Intelligence officers approached those “one step removed” from high-priority parliamentary figures, as well as economists, think tank employees, and consultants. The Times
China reclaims spot as top German trade partner from US: DW reports China has edged back ahead as Germany's highest-volume trade partner, just a year after the US claimed the position. Exports, particularly of cars, to both core markets have dipped sharply amid tariff tussles.
Netherlands to give up control of Nexperia in China dispute: DW reports the Netherlands praised China's softening of export restrictions as a "show of goodwill." The dispute has alarmed European car manufacturers, who have warned of serious supply chain disruptions on high-tech chips.
Analysis: Xi Jinping hesitates to draw double-edged sword of anti-Japan protests: Whipping up unrest could unleash Chinese people's pent-up economic frustrations. Nikkei
China suspending Japanese seafood imports: Japan official: Nikkei reports move taken in apparent retaliation for PM Takaichi's remarks on Taiwan.
US panel calls on Taiwan to fund Philippine base upgrades: Nikkei reports American presence at defense cooperation sites 'directly related' to deterring China.
AI boom is turning Malaysia’s palm oil estates into data centers: Plantations are being turned into data center parks and solar power farms, the latter meant to feed the insatiable energy appetites of the former. Bloomberg
Outrage over ‘Italian’ carbonara made in Belgium: The Times reports jars of Belgian-made pasta sauce featuring an Italian flag being sold the supermarket of the European parliament cause a diplomatic incident.
Meloni’s party orders investigation into sale of ‘fake carbonara’ in EU parliament: Telegraph reports Brothers of Italy party furious that Belgian-made versions of famous sauces, branded with Italian flag, are available.
Namibia wants to build the world’s first hydrogen economy: Can the vast and sparsely populated African country translate its renewable power potential into national development? MIT TR
Bloomberg: US warns South Africa not to issue G20 statement at summit
+ The US warned South Africa against pushing for a joint statement at the G20 summit that the Trump administration is boycotting.
+ The US opposes South Africa's G20 presidency and its core agenda of solidarity, equality, and sustainability, and will block any outcome framed as a consensus G-20 position.
+ Despite the US opposition, South Africa is pressing ahead with efforts to obtain a joint statement at the summit, with support from countries such as Brazil and Germany.
Hedge funds reap gains on Argentina bets as Trump steps in: BAT reports hedge funds notched bumper gains in October after a US rescue package and a resounding win for President Javier Milei’s party in midterm elections.
Milei set to attend Mercosur summit amid EU trade deal uncertainty: BAT reports Argentina's head of state is now likely to attend Mercosur summit, despite previous reports to the contrary. “The President has it on his agenda and it is very likely that he will go,” says government source.
Mexico is not just the top supplier to the US. Now it is the top buyer. NYT reports for the first time in at least 30 years, the United States has exported more to Mexico than Canada, US government data show, in a sign of how much North American trade has consolidated.
María Corina Machado on why time is running out for Nicolás Maduro in Venezuela: A democratic transition could set off a bonanza worth almost $2trn, reckons the opposition leader and Nobel laureate. Economist
Trump said to authorize CIA plans for covert action in Venezuela: The president has signed off on possible operations inside Venezuela, but has also reopened back-channel communications with the government of President Nicolás Maduro. NYT
Is Donald Trump preparing to strike Venezuela or lining up a deal? The answer is both. Economist
The ‘Donroe Doctrine’: Trump’s power play in Latin America: Long neglected in Washington, the region is key to some of the president’s priorities, including halting illegal migration and limiting Chinese influence. FT
Why the ‘America First’ president keeps looking abroad: Trump keeps showing he is not as isolationist as many supporters had hoped. NYT
Trump and a new ‘Arsenal of Freedom’: Hegseth’s acquisition reforms are crucial to reviving US defenses. WSJ-Editorial
The day Republicans beat Trump: Nothing like the Epstein-files loss has ever happened to him. Ben Jacobs
WP: Despite congressional action, quick release of Epstein files is in doubt
Reuters: US Justice Department will release Epstein files within 30 days, Bondi says
Trump says he will approve the release of the Epstein files. But There Are Loopholes. NYT reports the bill has not yet been presented to the president, and it wasn’t clear when it might reach his desk.
How Donald Trump lost control of the Epstein spin cycle: Donald Trump has spent years benefiting from the QAnon's Jeffrey Epstein obsession. That’s all changing. Wired
Harvard will open a new inquiry into faculty ties to Epstein: NYT reports the university is reviewing newly released emails between the convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and Lawrence H. Summers, a former Harvard president, and others at the institution.
Larry Summers resigns from OpenAI board after Epstein revelations: WSJ reports Harvard University also launches review of its former president’s behavior over his correspondence with the sex offender.
Former Fox News host under fire for Epstein comments: Telegraph reports Megyn Kelly accused of getting bogged down in ‘paedophile math’ over remarks made about age of victims.
Justice Dept. acknowledges full grand jury never saw final Comey indictment: WP reports the remarkable admission could threaten the viability of the case against the former FBI director.
Trump loyalist admits grand jury never saw final Comey indictment: NYT reports grand jurors have to vote on indictments to approve them, but a prosecutor told the judge in the case that only the foreperson formally approved the second charging document, a move that could cripple the case.
WP: Trump administration agrees not to paint the Eisenhower building before 2026
Trump says he’d ‘love to fire’ Powell, renewing attacks on Fed chair: WP reports Trump also seemed to pressure Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to somehow persuade Powell to lower interest rates further — or be fired himself.
Trump says he’d ‘love to fire’ Powell, renewing attacks on Fed chair: WP reports Trump also seemed to pressure Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent to somehow persuade Powell to lower interest rates further — or be fired himself.
What economists got wrong on tariffs: When Donald Trump rolled out global tariffs in April, economists braced for the worst. Since then, a lot has happened, but the sky has yet to fall. Were the experts wrong? Or is it too early to tell? Bloomberg
Bloomberg: Trump’s $2,000 tariff check idea draws Republican resistance
+ Republican lawmakers are resisting President Donald Trump's proposal to send $2,000 checks to working-class households next year.
+ The White House says the checks would be funded by tariff revenue, but lawmakers prefer to use the revenue to reduce the deficit.
+ The president's idea remains fluid, but administration officials are considering options to circumvent Congress and distribute the checks without legislative approval.
The FTC’s Meta antitrust implosion: Its monopoly case loses after five years of fierce online competition. WSJ-Editorial
WP: Mamdani will keep Jessica Tisch as New York police commissioner
Political parties have disconnected from the public: Across the democratic world, the postwar era’s dominant parties face a populist insurgency. Idrees Kahloon
Democrats lead in 2026 generic ballot: A Marquette Law School Poll finds that 49% of registered voters expect to vote for a Democrat and 44% expect to vote for a Republican in the 2026 midterms.
George Conway, a vocal foe of Trump, eyes congressional run: NYT reports the former conservative lawyer built a social media following with his harsh criticism of President Trump, who was the boss of his wife at the time.
+ Conway is moving closer to announcing a run for Congress in one of Manhattan’s wealthiest and bluest districts, pitching himself to potential donors as a top attorney who does not “have any more effs to give.”
+ Conway has hired the Democratic pollster Anna Greenberg to work on a budding campaign to succeed Representative Jerrold Nadler, Democrat of New York, who is retiring.
Despite Ron DeSantis' lobbying, megadonor Ken Griffin stays on the sidelines in Florida governor's race: NBC News reports the Florida governor has made at least two direct pleas to the GOP megadonor or his team to help him find a challenger to Rep. Byron Donalds; both have been rebuffed.
Whitmer-tied nonprofit draws $7.7M from secret donors in 2024, staffs up: Detroit News reports the group, Road to Michigan's Future, which has existed since January 2020, doesn't have to report the identities of its contributors, even though many of its sponsors — whose names have become public in the past through other means — have had interests in matters before the state government.
Vance and Rubio offer clues to Trump’s foreign policy — and the 2028 Race: The US vice president and secretary of state have divergent styles. Both are building credentials on the world stage as potential successors to Trump. Bloomberg
+ President Donald Trump’s boycott of the Group of 20 summit in South Africa leaves the forum to divine his intentions on the global stage without a US representative for the first time since its inception.
+ Vice President JD Vance and Secretary of State Marco Rubio have closely aided Trump as he sketches out the bones of a new foreign policy, with their divergent styles and interaction offering clues to reading the emerging doctrine.
+ Trump has spent months privately and publicly teasing a rivalry between Vance and Rubio, suggesting at times that one, then the other, is best positioned to take the torch from him, although both men have downplayed any sense of competition.
Orthodox Church pews are overflowing with converts: “In the whole history of the Orthodox Church in America, this has never been seen,” a priest said about the surge of young men drawn to the demanding practice of Christianity. NYT
Nvidia delivered a surprisingly strong revenue forecast and pushed back on the idea that the AI industry is in a bubble, easing concerns that had spread across the tech sector.
Nvidia says AI boom is accelerating as revenues rise 62%: The Times reports shares in the world’s most valuable company jump after third-quarter results in which founder Jensen Huang says demand for advanced chips is ‘off the charts.’
Fortune: Nvidia blows past revenue targets and forecasts trillions in AI infrastructure spending by end of decade
Fortune: Big 5 AI ‘hyperscalers’ have quadrupled their use of debt to fund operations, Bank of America says
Bloomberg: Trump plans to unveil ‘Genesis Mission’ to boost AI development
+ President Donald Trump plans to roll out a “Genesis Mission” as part of an executive order to boost US artificial intelligence efforts.
+ The effort is intended to signal that the Trump administration sees the coming AI race as important as the Manhattan Project or space race.
+ Trump called on lawmakers to pass a federal standard governing artificial intelligence, saying that if they don't, China will easily catch the US in the AI race.
Quantum computing needs its own industrial revolution: The path to scalable computers is paved with high-tech equipment, not just high-impact academic papers. John Martinis
Bloomberg: Trump urges Congress to block state-level AI regulation
+ President Donald Trump called on Congress to pass a federal standard governing oversight of artificial intelligence, warning that varied regulation at the state level risked slowing the development of the technology.
+ Trump urged lawmakers to act quickly, and floated the idea of including an AI measure as part of upcoming defense policy legislation, saying "one Federal Standard instead of a patchwork of 50 State Regulatory Regimes" is needed.
+ Trump said that if the US doesn't act, "then China will easily catch us in the AI race," and that members of the White House administration have been making a push for federal preemption with members of Congress.
Let a thousand AI regimes bloom: While critics of decentralized technology regulation warn of higher compliance costs for businesses, Chinese-style centralization is hardly preferable. In fact, not only do regulatory patchworks tend to converge, but they also provide the flexibility that rapid technological change demands. Angela Huyue Zhang
EU proposes softening AI and data privacy regulations: DW reports the EU is responding to calls by businesses and member states that have argued the bloc needs to keep up with tech innovation. Meanwhile, cookie consent pop-up banners are also set to be scaled back.
Elon Musk’s xAI nears $230bn valuation in fundraising deal: FT reports billionaire’s artificial intelligence company plans to raise $15bn.
Meta AI pioneer LeCun announces exit, plans new startup: Yann LeCun, an artificial intelligence pioneer who runs a research lab at Meta Platforms Inc., told employees that he will depart the social media giant at the end of the year and start a new company, according to a memo obtained by Bloomberg News. Bloomberg
Meta’s chief AI scientist to depart for new venture: AI pioneer Yann LeCun is leaving to launch his own world model startup. WSJ
Cracks are appearing in OpenAI’s dominant facade: A deal between Anthropic, Microsoft, and Nvidia makes AI more circular. Economist
Event: Global launch of the 2025 Edelman Trust Barometer flash poll: Trust + AI at a crossroads: Join Edelman for a virtual event on December 3 featuring new research from the Edelman Trust Barometer that shows trust in AI is at an inflection point. The report reveals a clear disparity in enthusiasm and adoption of AI across geography, income, industry, and age. Our discussion will focus on what businesses can do to build acceptance of AI. RSVP here.
Event: AI, technology and society: Shaping the future together: Join LSE on November 24 as our panel discusses how their work at the intersection of AI and the social sciences can help to ensure AI advancement serves the greater good. Exploring how social science insights can shape AI innovation, the importance of research into the most consequential impacts of AI on our economies and societies, and how AI tools and methodologies can transform social science investigation. RSVP here.
The Pope vs. the algorithm. Bilge Ebiri
The new requirement for MBAs seeking consulting jobs: AI proficiency: Rather than posing an existential threat, the technology is reinforcing the importance of judgment and emotional intelligence. Bloomberg
The most joyless tech revolution ever: AI is making us rich and unhappy: Discomfort around artificial intelligence helps explain the disconnect between a solid economy and an anxious public. Greg Ip
How to cheat at conversation: A new AI tool promises to improve social interactions, but instead makes them worse. Julie Beck
‘Mine is really alive.’ In online communities, people who say their AI lovers are “real” are seen as crossing a line. Are they actually so crazy? Lila Shapiro
Meta to remove under-16 Australians from Facebook, Instagram on December 4: AFP reports Australians younger than 16 will be removed from Facebook and Instagram on December 4, tech giant Meta said Thursday, as Canberra prepares to enforce sweeping laws banning teens from social media.
G+M: AI bot recorded doctors’ meeting, sent patient info to current and former hospital staff, watchdog says
Cloudflare outage briefly disrupts ChatGPT, X and dozens of apps: WP reports the cybersecurity service called the disruption “resolved” but said it would continue to monitor.
Cloudflare service resumes after outage disrupts X, ChatGPT, other sites: WP reports company’s web security tools are invisible to users, but underpin many widely trafficked sites.
Bloomberg: A $100,000 robot dog is becoming standard in policing — and raising ethical alarms
Incode Technologies, an identity verification platform, is in preliminary talks to raise between $150 million and $300 million from investors at a valuation of as much as $3 billion, according to people familiar with the matter.
Crypto mixer co-founder gets four years in money-laundering case: Bloomberg reports one of the rare cryptocurrency prosecutions under the Trump administration led to a four-year prison term for a bitcoin wallet operator accused of helping launder more than $200 million from illegal dark web transactions. William Lonergan Hill, who co-founded the crypto mixing service Samourai Wallet, was sentenced Wednesday by US District Judge Denise Cote in Manhattan.
CNBC: Zoox begins offering robotaxi rides in San Francisco, facing off with Waymo
+ Zoox on Tuesday began allowing select San Francisco users to hail its driverless vehicles, pitting the Amazon-owned robotaxi service against Alphabet’s Waymo in the same market for the first time.
+ Riders can sign up for the “Zoox Explorers” program to take free rides in the company’s robotaxis in San Francisco’s SoMa, Mission and Design District neighborhoods.
+ Waymo opened up its service to all San Francisco riders in June 2024. Since launching its service in Phoenix in 2020, Waymo has provided more than 10 million paid rides, the company said in May.
Bloomberg: Blue Origin no longer just a rocket company as Mars ‘on radar’
Kering must kick Gucci habit, chief Luca de Meo tells staff: FT reports boss sets out in memo need for luxury group to reduce ‘over-dependency’ on Italian brand.
Warner Bros. suitors put final touches on bids as deadline nears: Bloomberg reports Paramount Skydance Corp., Comcast Corp., and Netflix Inc. are all contemplating offers for Warner Bros. Discovery Inc., with each trying to distinguish their proposals and avoid overpaying for the assets.
21 million: The concept of kissing dates back more than 21 million years, University of Oxford scientists have found, with humans and many of their ancestors engaging with the practice. The study didn’t explore why the practice began.
UK to ban ticket resales above face value: Le Monde reports the move comes as the UK government unveils sweeping consumer protections aimed at ticket scalpers whose inflated prices have angered fans and the music industry.
+ "With a price cap on regulated marketplaces, ticket transactions will move to black markets," said a spokesperson for StubHub International. "When a regulated market becomes a black market, only bad things happen for consumers," the spokesperson added.
Wes Anderson at the Design Museum review — even better than Kubrick: The Texan is the third film-maker to have a retrospective at the London museum, after Stanley Kubrick and Tim Burton — and his is the exquisite best. The Times
Everyone in LA wants a giant front door Clio Chang
The NFL’s secret obsession with supersonic flight: With dreams of permanent franchises in Europe, the league has quietly been keeping tabs on companies aiming to bring the technology back—and it could happen sooner than you think. WSJ
+ @AdamSchefter: The New Orleans Saints are expected to play a game in Paris, as early as the 2026 regular season, per their team president Dennis Lauscha. The NFL and stadium officials in Paris are working to finalize a deal to bring the Saints to Paris, with an announcement likely in the coming
Shedeur Sanders gets the start for the Browns: ‘The game got to speak’: WP reports the former Colorado star and Hall of Famer’s son is named starter for Sunday’s game at Las Vegas.
Cartel NIL: FBI investigators reveal the University of Texas at El Paso has been receiving NIL donations from the Juárez Cartel to support athletic programs. University officials claim they were unaware of the source of the funds and say the money would’ve been rejected had they known.
Major League Baseball signs new rights deals with ESPN, NBCU, and Netflix: WSJ reports agreements are valued at a combined $800 million annually.
AFP: MLB returns to Field of Dreams in 2026 with Twins and Phillies
The scandal roiling Turkish football: Gambling probes halt lower leagues and suspend hundreds of players, but many say they are scapegoats. FT
The World Cup is being overrun by underdogs: The decision to expand the field for next summer’s tournament to 48 teams has opened the door to a cast of unlikely entrants, including Uzbekistan, Curaçao—and Scotland. WSJ
Joy as Haitian men’s team secures first World Cup berth since 1974: WP reports that with their Port-au-Prince stadium under gang control, the Grenadiers are playing home games in Curaçao. Their French coach hasn’t visited Haiti since his appointment.
Gang-wracked Haiti unites, goes wild over World Cup qualification: AFP reports fireworks and dancing erupted across Haiti in a reprieve from gang violence as people came together to celebrate their national team punching its ticket to the 2026 World Cup.
I was lost in Scotland’s World Cup drama — only sport does this to us: Watching Scotland’s heroics to qualify for the World Cup filled me with delight. We live and breathe sport in the hope of experiencing a game like that. Matthew Syed
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal
Caracal Daily | November 20
