Happy Thursday.
Here’s today’s ITK Daily.
To be ITK, know this:
Refugees from Ukraine recorded across Europe: 8,087,952
That is a bigger population than Washington state.
A year in the trenches has hardened Ukraine’s president: Volodymyr Zelensky came into office thinking peace with Putin was possible. He now believes victory is the only answer. WP
Biden and Putin spoke. Now the war's focus will return to a decisive period on the battlefield. Both Russia and Ukraine have been planning fresh campaigns to seize territory, infusing President Joe Biden’s trip to the war zone with new urgency. NBC News
The West is avoiding the big question about Ukraine: Until the US and allies decide what victory looks like for Kyiv, Europe isn’t likely to have peace. Matthew Kaminski
Thousands of Russians cheer for Putin at patriotic rally: AFP reports Vladimir Zyablitsky traveled to Moscow from his home in a distant Siberian region just to attend a state-organized patriotic concert two days before the first anniversary of Russia's offensive in Ukraine.
Wagner Group’s bloody year in Ukraine: From murder squad to cannon fodder AFP
Putin has decided to normalize his war: His just-grin-and-bear-it message in his state-of-the-nation speech means that he has no idea how Russia wins. Leonid Bershidsky
Why can’t Russia figure out how to win? Benjamin Hart
The war in Ukraine is a catalyst for the energy transition: Europeans raised their climate goals as a result of the energy crisis but they risk over-investing in liquefied natural gas infrastructure. Le Monde
Ukraine’s Zelensky is challenged by return of domestic political troubles: President confronts government corruption allegations, political competition, and questions about Western aid. WSJ
One year: On Friday, the world will mark exactly one year since the day Russia launched a full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
It is time for Kishida to make a trip to Kyiv: As G7 president, Japan shouldn't be the only member not to show support in person. D.J. Brown
+ French President Emmanuel Macron could visit Kyiv soon, possibly in March.
Good data alert | Fog of war: How the Ukraine conflict transformed the cyber threat landscape
From the start of this full-scale invasion, offensive and defensive cyber operations have played a prominent role in the conflict.
To provide more insights into the role of cyber, Google has released a report based on analysis from Google’s Threat Analysis Group (TAG), Mandiant, now part of Google Cloud, and Google Trust & Safety.
Access the report here.
A year later, China blames US ‘hegemony’ — not Russia — for war in Ukraine WP
Russia and China vow to strengthen ties despite international ‘pressure’: FT reports Beijing’s top diplomat meets Vladimir Putin two days before the first anniversary of Ukraine invasion.
Xi ponders ramifications of supporting Russia: Could the US come to regard China as a state sponsor of terrorism? Nikkei
Anthony Albanese to flag additional military investment before landmark defense review Guardian
Australia foils ‘hive of spies’ as threat likened to hand-to-hand combat: Security chief reveals plots by foreign agents to steal sensitive information, recruit journalists and lure a target to be ‘disposed of’ overseas. The Times
Globe + Mail: Canadian military found Chinese monitoring buoys in the Arctic
Xi the survivor: How Washington overestimates Chinese weakness. Christopher Johnson
AP: Macron champions pension plan as key to French economy
AFP: France's Macron defends unpopular pensions reform
Le Monde: Winter drought: after 32 days without rain, a record, "France is on alert"
TH: German Chancellor Scholz to visit India on February 25-26
Space pods and flying dragons: How Saudi Arabia wants to transform its capital CNN
Saudi Arabia wants to be a movie capital. Will Hollywood go along? Oil-rich Middle Eastern countries are looking to invest billions of dollars into media and entertainment. Bloomberg
Nigerian elections: How Peter Obi disrupted a two-horse race: The relative political newcomer has electrified young voters, rattled his rivals, and made the outcome of this week’s contest much harder to predict. FT
The autocrat next door: Liberal democracy in Mexico is under assault. Worse, the attacker is the country’s own president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador. David Frum
Ottawa calling: Biden is down to visit Canada in March.
We can all invest in keeping Canada safe: Investment in innovative dual-use technology can bolster national defense. Peter MacKay
Reuters: Biden administration unveils broad asylum restrictions at US-Mexico border
Biden builds a new team to carry him across landmines: All bring particular skills suited to Biden’s desire for experienced hands to help steer the economy away from a possible recession. Politico
Jill Biden embarks on Africa trip to Namibia and Kenya: WP reports when Jill Biden touches down Wednesday on a five-day trip to Namibia and Kenya, it will be on her remarkable sixth official solo visit to the continent as a principal of a presidential administration, this being her first as first lady following five visits as the second lady during the Obama administration.
Biden may not run — and top Dems are quietly preparing: The president no longer seems absolutely certain to go for a second term, leaving the party, his top aides and potential candidates unsure about '24 and very quietly mulling plan B. Politico
FNC: Williamson tells Democrats it’s ‘time to move on’ from Biden as she plans trips to NH and early primary states
WYFF: Sen. Tim Scott launches 'Faith in America' listening tour ahead of possible presidential run
Tim Scott is a talented candidate finding his theme Matthew Continetti
Bloomberg: Anti-ESG crusader takes on Trump, Haley for 2024 GOP nomination
+ The Ohio biotech entrepreneur creates a 2024 presidential committee.
+ Ramaswamy co-founded Strive Asset Management last year.
Why I’m running for president: America has lost sight of the ideals that made it great—freedom and merit foremost among them. Vivek Ramaswamy
DeSantis and Haley highlight 2024 chasm on Ukraine Aaron Blake
The Hill: Tester announces he’s running for reelection in Montana, providing some relief to Democrats
‘The Democratic Party in New York is a disaster’: After losing crucial seats in the congressional midterms, a bitter civil war over the moribund state organization has spilled into the open. NYT
Tobacco group Philip Morris admits it may never sell its Russian business: FT reports the company signals ‘no hope’ of a deal because of Kremlin terms on foreign companies’ asset sales.
National Public Radio is cutting 10% of its staff.
Meta is preparing for a new round of job cuts.
A suburb in Arizona lost its source of water. Residents warn: We're only the beginning: The mega-drought is pitting neighbor against neighbor, and the repercussions are international. CBC
How Arizona is positioning itself for $52 billion to the Chips industry: The state has become a hub for chip makers including Intel and TSMC, as the government prepares to release a gusher of funds for the strategic industry. NYT
Inside Taiwanese chip giant, a US expansion stokes tensions: Employee doubts are rising about Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company’s $40 billion investment in an Arizona factory. NYT
The investors who still think crypto can make them rich: Digital currencies’ bruising losses and big risks haven’t swayed those who say other paths to wealth aren’t accessible to them. WSJ
ChatGPT has been officially banned in China.
Nikkei: China tells big tech companies not to offer ChatGPT services
Bloomberg: JPMorgan restricts staff’s use of AI-powered ChatGPT bot
The Times: Companies block ChatGPT amid privacy fears
Google claims breakthrough in quantum computer error correction: FT reports the company’s latest research could signal a step towards overcoming one hurdle to the technology.
Google appears to dodge disaster as justices review tech law: For the day, Ketanji Brown Jackson seemed to replace Clarence Thomas as the court's most vocal critic of tech's broad liability protections. Politico
Supreme Court seems wary of limiting protections for social media platforms: The case, concerning a law that gives websites immunity for suits based on their users’ posts, has the potential to alter the very structure of the internet. NYT
Social media used to be free. Not anymore. You used to pay for social media with your eyeballs. Now Meta and Twitter want your money, too. Shirin Ghaffary
Webb spots surprisingly massive galaxies in early universe: AFP reports the James Webb Space Telescope has spotted six massive galaxies that emerged not long after the Big Bang, a study said Wednesday, surprising scientists by forming at a speed that contradicts our current understanding of the universe.
China’s leading electric carmaker has arrived in Germany: BYD is a powerhouse in China and sells the most electric vehicles of any company in the world. Now it has a plan to attract buyers in Europe’s largest economy. NYT
China is exporting its tiny EV obsession: Wuling outsells the Tesla Model 3 in China. In Indonesia, EV buyers are flocking to it for lower-cost prestige. ROW
WSJ: EV startup Lucid aims to nearly double production in 2023
Chinese lithium prices fall 30% as demand for electric vehicles weakens: FT reports the cost of clean energy’s ‘white gold’ still eight times what it was a year ago.
Office landlord defaults are escalating as lenders brace for more distress: WSJ reports delinquency rate for office loans that back commercial-mortgage-backed securities remains low, but it is heading higher.
Hybrid working set to push US office vacancies to record by 2030: FT reports Cushman & Wakefield forecasts 1.1bn sq ft of empty space in a fundamental shift for commercial property.
How hybrid work is changing offices of the future: Architects and real-estate developers are pioneering concepts to entice workers who will permanently split their time between home and office. Here are the innovations you’ll see in coming years. WSJ
Could a Beatles-Stones supergroup heal rock’s greatest musical rivalry? Paul McCartney has reportedly been recording with the Rolling Stones. Will Hodgkinson charts the history of the two rock giants. The Times
For a longer life, afternoon exercise may be best, a large study shows: WP reports a new study collected from more than 90,000 people found afternoon exercisers lived longer, but other research suggests morning exercise might burn more body fat.
Claiming to be ‘golf, but louder,’ LIV’s sound and fury signify nothing Sally Jenkins
MLS banking on new Apple deal to boost popularity: AFP reports Major League Soccer is hoping its ground-breaking new global streaming deal with Apple TV will launch a new era of growth when their season gets underway on Saturday.
England football regulator aims to stop new Super League rebels Bloomberg
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal
Caracal produces ITK Daily.
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