*** Ross Rant ***
The anti-conference
No lanyards.
No name badges.
No PowerPoint decks.
No recorded sessions.
Just 100 entrepreneurs and thought leaders at Robert Redford's Sundance Mountain Resort for three days of conversations that actually matter.
Brigadoon returns February 22-24, 2026.
Eighth year. Same principle: what happens in the mountains, stays in the mountains—but the relationships last forever.
More @ brigadoon.live/utah.
-Marc
*** Caracal Daily ***
Monocle’s 2025 Soft Power Survey – who is quietly gaining or losing influence in a multipolar world: Which country’s cultural influence grew and whose slumped in the past 12 months? We take a look at six nations. Monocle
The rise of unpopular populism: On birth rates, the lockdown, and above all, Brexit, the right is out of touch with the public. Janan Ganesh
Ukraine goes after Moscow’s shadow fleet in international waters: Recent strikes hit core of Russia’s economy but are risky, and their ultimate impact is uncertain. WSJ
Confident of military success, Putin refuses compromise in Moscow talks: European officials, who were not included in the talks, said at a NATO meeting in Brussels that Russia appears to be inflexible in the negotiations. NYT
The limits of Putin’s balancing act: What the Kremlin Will Sacrifice in Pursuit of Victory in Ukraine. Michael Kimmage + Maria Lipman
Ukraine peace plan has only led to Putin losing his fear of Trump: The Russian leader has shown no signs he is ready to give up his imperial ambitions — while negotiations have deepened the rift between Europe and Washington. The Times
Germany says Russia resisting negotiated peace: DW reports Germany says that despite diplomatic efforts, Russia has not done enough to engage in negotiations to end its war in Ukraine. Meanwhile, Europe has reached a deal to phase out all Russian gas imports.
Negotiating peace: A chaotic art with no established rules: Donald Trump, casting himself as mediator in the Russia-Ukraine war, has been pushing Kyiv and European leaders to accept his 'peace plan,' drafted with Moscow. His seemingly erratic approach reveals a deeper issue: the absence of any standards governing peace processes. Le Monde
The new nuclear frontier: Why Russia is sharing arms with Belarus: Moscow is moving some of its nuclear arsenals into neighboring Belarus. WSJ investigates how this deployment elevates the risk to Europe. WSJ
Enough dithering. Europe must pay to save Ukraine: America will not. Europe’s security depends on agreeing how to. Economist
Top US official berates Europe over cutting American industry out of defense buildup: Washington is unhappy that some European arms programs limit US participation. Politico
EU bans Russian gas imports after last-minute agreement: Politico reports officials say the move will complement existing sanctions and kill off EU imports of Russian gas for good.
Commission unveils €165B loan to Ukraine using Russian frozen assets: Politico reports Belgium’s foreign minister has already expressed concerns over the plan.
EU moves to seize €90bn of Russian assets to fund Ukraine reparations: The Times reports the proposal comes after Zelensky’s meeting with Steve Witkoff, the US envoy, was said to have been cancelled when peace talks with Putin stalled.
The European Commission unveils plan to continue financial support for Ukraine after US aid ends: Le Monde reports the European Commission is considering two mechanisms: a reparations loan funded by immobilized Russian central bank assets held in Europe, or a joint debt guaranteed by the EU budget. The proposals, which face opposition from Belgium and Hungary, will be on the European Council's meeting agenda on December 18 and 19.
Brussels pushes for 70% of critical goods content to be ‘made in Europe’: Policy would force EU companies to buy certain products domestically in an effort to cut reliance on China. FT
EU revives China de-risking plans amid rare earth chokehold and overcapacity risks: SCMP reports twin proposals aim to boost economic arsenal while cutting China dependence as 27-nation bloc fights for survival in era of trade warfare.
They were supposed to save Europe. Instead, they’re condemning it to horrors. David Broder
France is updating its polar strategy amid rising geopolitical tensions in the Arctic: Le Monde reports the strategy, which covers the period from 2026 to 2040, aims to support polar research and, above all, to address defense concerns – though it comes with no guaranteed funding.
German president welcomed by King and Queen on three-day state visit: The Times reports that in the First German state visit to Britain this century, President Steinmeier will visit the ruins of Coventry Cathedral, destroyed in 1940.
German president gets royal treatment on UK state visit: AFP reports Britain's King Charles III treated German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier to a sumptuous banquet Wednesday, as the pair hailed the countries' deep ties during the first UK state visit by a German head of state in decades.
To clear huge court backlog, UK aims to scrap jury trials for some crimes: WP reports the plan to forgo jury trials for defendants charged with lower-level crimes is aimed at easing an 80,000-case backlog in a court system booked as far out as 2030.
Bloomberg: Poland to join US-hosted G20 Summit as South Africa is shunned
+ The US is inviting Poland to the next Group of 20 summit and plans to shun South Africa when President Donald Trump hosts the forum in 2026.
+ Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised Poland's partnership with the US and criticized South Africa for its redistributionist policies and burdensome regulation.
+ Rubio said the US will have a seat for South Africa at its table when South Africa decides to fix its broken system and rejoin the family of prosperous and free nations.
Nobel winner warns China is ‘nanoseconds’ behind in quantum race Bloomberg
+ “China is definitely very competitive in this,” John Martinis said in an interview with Bloomberg News in Tel Aviv. “People should be concerned that there’s a real race.”
Nvidia's Jensen Huang warns of China's AI 'Belt and Road' ambitions: Nikkei reports CEO calls for more use of nuclear power as data center energy demand surges.
Can America win the new race for scientific leadership? Even as China and the United States compete for scientific leadership, the Trump administration has slashed investment in research and tightened immigration rules. If the US has truly entered a second Cold War, it should repeat the strategy that helped it win the first one: expanding the scientific frontier at home. Nancy Qian
Rare earth prices remain sky-high despite US-China deal: Nikkei reports truce seen easing supply in US, but outlook unclear for other destinations.
Takaichi repeats 1972 stance respecting China’s view on Taiwan: Bloomberg reports Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi reiterated the country’s long-held position that it understands and respects China’s view that Taiwan is an “inalienable part of its territory,” without specifically agreeing to the ‘One China’ principle.
Analysis: Xi's Takaichi retribution has less impact on eastern Japan: Area hit by 2011 quake still receiving Taiwanese and other tourists as Kansai suffers. Nikkei
Macron to meet Xi as France navigates EU's China de-risking strategy: Nikkei reports trade imbalances, Ukraine war, and Taiwan tensions loom over visit to Beijing.
France's Macron meets Xi for Ukraine, trade talks: AFP reports French President Emmanuel Macron met Xi Jinping in Beijing on Thursday, where he is expected to push the Chinese leader to help secure a ceasefire in Ukraine, and discuss trade relations.
The significant trade imbalance between France and China: Even as Chinese competition increasingly undermines French industries, including in innovation, many French companies argue that maintaining a presence in China remains essential. President Emmanuel Macron is visiting the country from December 3 to 5. Le Monde
Putin visits India for defence, trade talks: AFP reports President Vladimir Putin is set to begin a two-day visit to India on Thursday, seeking to deepen defence ties even as New Delhi faces growing US pressure to stop buying Russian oil.
Vladimir Putin to meet Narendra Modi to talk over oil, arms, and Donald Trump’s tariffs: Russia and India seek to deepen energy and security ties that have been tested by Western pressure. FT
Why Macron’s China visit and Putin’s India trip will show Europe no longer sets the agenda Jonathan Eyal
+ Macron visits China seeking support on Ukraine and trade, but faces scepticism about influencing Beijing's position, despite a grand welcome.
+ Putin's India visit aims to maintain energy and military ties, but US sanctions and diversification efforts are limiting Russia's commercial gains.
+ Both leaders seek to bolster trade positions amid global shifts, but are unlikely to secure more than lukewarm reassurances from their Asian counterparts.
Trump tariffs likely to worsen Pakistan's 21-year-high jobless rate: Nikkei reports experts predict half a million job losses on expected dip in exports to US.
Israel says a Gaza border will reopen, but only for Palestinians to leave: NYT reports Israel had agreed to open the Rafah crossing as part of the October cease-fire deal with Hamas, but kept it closed. Egypt denied that the border would reopen soon.
Europe’s banned pesticides are poisoning Nigeria: Chemicals barred by the EU are widely available across Africa, threatening food and water supplies. Bloomberg
From Portugal to Mexico, Canadian snowbirds are scouting beyond the US for vacation homes: G+M reports that about 23% of survey respondents say they would go to non-US destinations this year, compared with 12% last year.
Here in Venezuela, people are more afraid of runaway inflation than Trump: Venezuelans are shrugging off threats to oust leader Nicolás Maduro, worrying more about the price of Christmas decorations and an economy in ruins. WSJ
Venezuela reveals what Trump covets most: Leading in war is the hallmark of great American presidents. Theodore R. Johnson
‘Welcome to America!’ Captured drug lords choose: Snitch or suffer: Under pressure from the Trump administration, Mexico turned over 55 cartel leaders in a pair of cloak-and-dagger missions. WSJ
Survivors of boat strike were actively continuing drug mission, Admiral to tell lawmakers: WSJ reports commander of September attack to provide account of his role for the first time in closed briefing.
AP: Pentagon knew boat attack left survivors but still launched a follow-on strike, AP sources say
AP: Pete Hegseth faces deepening scrutiny from Congress over boat strikes
WP: Republicans begin to tighten the screws on Hegseth’s Pentagon
Pentagon’s signalgate review finds Hegseth violated Defense Department regulations: WSJ reports the department watchdog also states that as Pentagon chief, Hegseth has the authority to declassify information.
Pentagon watchdog says Hegseth’s Signal chats put troops at risk: Politico reports the inspector general produced two reports on the Defense secretary’s use of the messaging app to discuss sensitive Yemen strike plans.
White House renames building the ‘Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace’: WP reports President Donald Trump is eager to be recognized as a peacemaker. His administration obliged on Wednesday by renaming the building that houses the US Institute of Peace in downtown DC. “Donald J. Trump” is now emblazoned in several places on what has often been dubbed the Peace building, according to eyewitnesses and photos obtained by The Washington Post. A White House official said the building would now be known as the “Donald J. Trump Institute of Peace.”
Will Marco Rubio’s Venezuela strategy get him on the ticket for 2028? Monocle
The operator: Josh Shapiro has spent his life preparing to lead an America that might no longer exist. Tim Alberta
In unexpected moment of candor, Shapiro says Harris told ‘blatant lies’ about him: Shapiro appeared to also dismiss some of Harris’s accounts about him in her memoir “107 Days” by telling the Atlantic, “She’s trying to sell books.” WP
MyPillow founder Mike Lindell files paperwork for Minnesota gubernatorial bid: WP reports Lindell, the CEO of MyPillow CEO and a 2020 election denier, joins a crowded race in his unlikely Republican bid against two-term incumbent Gov. Tim Walz (D).
Rep. Nancy Mace reportedly planning to discuss retiring early from Congress with MTG: WCIV reports Representative Nancy Mace (R-SC) is reportedly planning to discuss retiring early from Congress with Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-GA), who announced her resignation in late November. New York Times reporter Annie Karni wrote Wednesday that the South Carolina Republican has told those around her she is frustrated with Speaker Mike Johnson and sick of the way he has run the House, primarily with how women have been treated there.
Republican anger erupts at Johnson as party frets about future: A small group of GOP women have been among the most vocal in raising what their colleagues say is a broader frustration with the speaker. NYT
Trump ally Elise Stefanik attacks Speaker Johnson’s leadership: In interview, New York lawmaker says Johnson losing control of House Republicans. WSJ
Time: Double-digit swing in Tennessee has Republicans rethinking how badly 2026 could hurt
Republican wins closely watched House special election in Tennessee: Matt Van Epps defeats Democrat Aftyn Behn in Nashville-area district, but margin narrows compared with past contests. WSJ
What Tennessee revealed about the GOP’s Trump trap in the midterms: Republican candidates face the problem that President Trump alone gets out the vote that they need. And he alone gets out the vote that Democrats need, too. NYT
A GOP win foretells midterm trouble: The double-digit drop in the Republican margin from 2024 demands changes. Karl Rove
Trump pollster’s health care advice for Republicans: Pivot to drug prices: Politico reports Tony Fabrizio did not recommend an extension of Obamacare subsidies, as he previously counseled.
Private hiring sank in November, ADP says: WSJ reports figures from payroll processor suggest a labor slump, with small businesses hit especially hard.
Private employers cut jobs in November, the latest sign of a slowdown: NYT reports data from ADP, a payroll processor, is getting added attention because of delays in official statistics caused by the government shutdown.
Bloomberg: Bessent under discussion to also lead National Economic Council
+ Donald Trump's aides and allies are discussing the possibility of making Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent the top White House economic adviser, in addition to his current job, if Kevin Hassett becomes the next chair of the Federal Reserve.
+ Tapping Bessent to lead the White House's National Economic Council would allow him to consolidate oversight of Trump's economic policies and give him a West Wing office.
+ Trump has hinted at announcing Hassett as the next Fed chair, and has said he has made his decision, but will wait until early 2026 to make an official announcement.
Trump announces plans to weaken fuel efficiency rules for cars and trucks: WP reports executives from Ford, GM, and Stellantis joined the president as he announced plans to roll back rules pushing automakers to sell more electric cars.
Trump returns to gasoline as fuel of choice for cars, gutting Biden’s climate policy: NYT reports the president said he would weaken Biden-era mileage standards, which were designed to increase electric-vehicle sales, calling them a “scam.”
Donald Trump proposes slashing fuel efficiency goals for cars: FT reports auto and oil industry leaders cheer the move, while green groups said it would increase costs for drivers.
How Palantir shifted course to play key role in ICE deportations: WP reports: “The truly progressive position on immigration” is “extreme skepticism,” says Alex Karp, a longtime Democrat and the data management company’s chief executive.
DOGE isn’t dead. Here’s what its operatives are doing now: Contrary to popular reports, DOGE has “burrowed into the agencies like ticks,” government sources tell WIRED.
Half of US states now require visitors to porn sites to upload their ID: 404 Media reports Missouri has become the 25th state to enact age verification laws.
Meta starts removing under-16s from social media in Australia: AFP reports tech giant Meta said Thursday it is starting to remove under-16s in Australia from Instagram, Threads, and Facebook ahead of the country's world-first youth social media ban.
Chile to ban smartphones in classrooms: DW reports parents and teachers had lobbied for the bill, saying that smartphones hinder students' learning and emotional development. Once signed by President Gabriel Boric, the law would go into effect in 2026.
Bloomberg: MrBeast hasn’t thought much about how social media impacts kids
Senators urge White House to take action to curb AI-powered cyberattacks: Politico reports Sens. Maggie Hassan (D-NH) and Joni Ernst (R-IA) are urging the nation’s top cyber official to focus on combating the use of artificial intelligence by nation-state hackers to conduct cyberattacks after a recent China-linked incident.
The race to AGI-pill the pope: A team of believers want the Vatican to take AI doomsday scenarios seriously. The Verge
VB: Amazon's new AI can code for days without human help. What does that mean for software engineers?
Amazon releases AI agents it says can work for days at a time: WSJ reports AWS CEO Matt Garman unveiled a set of new tools at the cloud giant’s annual re:Invent conference, calling them critical to helping companies get value out of AI.
Silicon Valley builds Amazon and Gmail copycats to train AI agents: Several new start-ups are building replicas of sites so AI can learn to use the internet and maybe replace white-collar workers. NYT
Why Kissinger worried about AI Eric Schmidt
Manias, panics, and AI: By any metric, the US – and, by implication, the world – are now in the midst of an intense AI speculative boom. To assess whether all the investment pouring into the industry will build something useful, three questions must be addressed. Simon Johnson + Piero Novelli
Meta poaches senior Apple designer Alan Dye to support AI glasses push: FT reports Mark Zuckerberg foresees wearable artificial intelligence-powered devices supplanting smartphones.
Stephen Witt wins FT and Schroders Business Book of the Year: ‘The Thinking Machine’ tells the inside story of how Nvidia became the world’s most valuable corporation. FT
The hunt for copper to wire the AI boom: Data centres and green grids are heavy users of the red metal, but mine supply is stagnating and new discoveries are rare. FT
+ The price of copper reached a record high of $11,411.50 per metric ton on the London market, driven in part by frantic buying ahead of expected American tariffs.
Boomers are starting to devour influencer content: Could the time of the ‘granfluencer’ be far behind? FC
Spotify Wrapped’s genius marketing taps into individuality and belonging: The annual campaign works because it nails the balance between competing needs: the desire to belong and the desire to stand out. FC
From micro-dramas to video games, Chinese entertainment is booming: But how much slack will the Communist Party give creators? Economist
Billionaire Stephen Ross has a $200 fix for Miami’s commuting hell: Flying Taxis: WSJ reports developer to work with Archer Aviation to help build a network of launchpads for a fleet of flying vehicles in South Florida.
After NYC implemented congestion pricing, Chicago became America’s worst city for traffic: A new report from transportation analytics company Inrix shows people are spending more time in their cars in major cities across the country. FC
Waymo’s self-driving cars are suddenly behaving like New York cabbies: Autonomous vehicles are adopting humanlike qualities, making illegal U-turns and flooring it the second the light goes green. WSJ
The data on self-driving cars is clear. We have to change course. Jonathan Slotkin
Bloomberg: Chinese startup’s reusable rocket crash-lands after launch
+ A Chinese rocket, Zhuque-3, crash-landed after launch due to an "abnormal burn" that prevented a soft landing on the recovery site.
+ The crash landing illustrates the challenges China faces in developing reusable rocket technology, which has been mastered by Elon Musk's SpaceX.
+ Despite the failed recovery, the mission captured "critical engineering data" that will help with future model optimization and the realization of stage recovery and reuse, according to LandSpace Technology Corp.
The case against humans in space: Three books push back on a rising tide of optimism about space settlements. Becky Ferreira
US defense tech startup Anduril eyes manufacturing in Japan: Nikkei reports founder Palmer Luckey says it is exploring 'Arsenal J' factory concept.
You might hate these companies’ ads. That’s the point. Corporate marketers are embracing a strategy perfected by online influencers: Stoke rage and watch the attention roll in. WP
Tired Americans are spending more just to avoid chores: Companies are taking advantage of a consumer eager for products that take on some of life’s drudgery. Bloomberg
Bank of America has advised its wealth management clients to consider allocating 1% to 4% of their portfolios to digital assets, marking a major endorsement of cryptocurrency, Yahoo Finance reports.
Mormon women are taking over our screens: Across reality shows, social media, and best-selling books, women raised in the church have increased its profile across pop culture. NYT
Roger Stone is selling suits. Just don’t ask him where they’re made. WP reports the president’s old friend is taking a page from the Trump playbook by putting his name on made-to-order menswear.
This can’t be the future Meghan Markle envisioned: What in the name of Wallis Simpson is going on with the repatriated royal’s new Netflix special? WP
Manohla Dargis' best movies of 2025:
+ Dargis is the chief film critic for The New York Times.
1. Sinners
2. One Battle After Another
3. Marty Supreme
4. It Was Just an Accident
5. BLKNWS: Terms & Conditions
6. My Undesirable Friends: Part I — Last Air in Moscow
7. Sorry, Baby
8. The Secret Agent
9. Caught by the Tides
10. The Mastermind
National Board of Review winners 2025:
Best Film: One Battle After Another
Best Director: Paul Thomas Anderson, One Battle After Another
Best Actor: Leonardo DiCaprio, One Battle After Another
Best Actress: Rose Byrne, If I Had Legs I’d Kick You
Best Supporting Actor: Benicio Del Toro, One Battle After Another
Best Supporting Actress: Inga Ibsdotter Lilleaas, Sentimental Value
Best Directorial Debut: Eva Victor, Sorry, Baby
Breakthrough Performance: Chase Infiniti, One Battle After Another
Best Original Screenplay: Ryan Coogler, Sinners
Best Adapted Screenplay: Clint Bentley and Greg Kwedar, Train Dreams
Best Animated Feature: Arco
Best International Film: It Was Just an Accident
Best Documentary: Cover-Up
Rolling Stone's 20 best movies of 2025:
1. One Battle After Another
2. Hamnet
3. Black Bag
4. Train Dreams
5. Nouvelle Vague
6. It Was Just an Accident
7. No Other Choice
8. Sorry, Baby
9. Marty Supreme
10. Sentimental Value
11. Peter Hujar’s Day
12. Eddington
13. Universal Language
14. Best Wishes for All
15. Orwell: 2+2=5
16. On Becoming a Guinea Fowl
17. The Phoenician Scheme
18. Caught by the Tides
19. Frankenstein
20. Weapons
Clippers send Chris Paul packing in a stunning, late-night move: TA reports that in what is the latest low in a season of woe, the LA Clippers announced early Wednesday morning that they will part ways with point guard Chris Paul, who last month announced that this would be his last season before he retires.
The Clippers are a sinking ship, and Chris Paul was just thrown overboard: WP reports Los Angeles suddenly parted ways with a franchise icon, the latest messy chapter for an organization that doesn’t operate gracefully.
Cadillac F1 will reveal its livery during the Super Bowl on February 8.
Fanatics launches a prediction markets app, the first major sportsbook to do so: Fanatics CEO of betting and gaming Matt King reveals why the sports apparel and collectibles giant is launching Fanatics Markets as a stand-alone app, his vision for how predictions fit into the Fanatics ecosystem, and more. FC
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal
Caracal Daily | December 4
