Happy Saturday.
Here’s today’s ITK Daily.
To be ITK, know this:
How Davos’ World Economic Forum became such a big deal: A look at why the meeting of bigwigs actually, kind of matters. Grid
If Turkey blocks Sweden and Finland, will NATO boot Turkey? Ankara has been one of the most steadfast members of the alliance for seven decades, but it doesn’t want to force the alliance to make a tough choice. James Stavridis
CNN: US to designate Russia’s Wagner mercenary group as a ‘transnational criminal organization’
Tank dispute splits Ukraine’s allies as Zelensky seeks more firepower: Germany has rebuffed requests for its Leopard tanks to be used against Russian forces, roiling a meeting of defense ministers from nations aiding Ukraine. WP
+ German hesitation over sending tanks to Ukraine was likely driven by reluctance to take a leading military role rather than practical considerations.
Inside the urgent push to arm Ukraine for a spring offensive: Over the past few weeks, Ukraine’s Western allies have committed massive packages of mechanized armor to break the stalemate with Russia. But is it enough to change the tide of the war? WP
+ An American Navy SEAL was killed this week during Russia’s assault on eastern Ukraine while fighting alongside Ukrainian forces, Time reports.
Why are Ukraine’s allies arguing about tanks? FT
War in Ukraine: 'It is now time to think about a way out': Pierre Lellouche, a former junior minister of Nicolas Sarkozy, writes that the massive military aid given to Kyiv risks aggravating the conflict. Le Monde
Macron announces military spending to increase by a third until 2030: Le Monde reports the French President's new military budget addresses both the impact of the war in Ukraine and the need to strengthen domestic security.
Will strikes force Macron to back down over French pension reforms? AFP
French pension reform: First day of protest emboldens unions: France's eight main trade unions and five youth movements are now trying to keep the protest movement going. Le Monde
Is life in the UK really as bad as the numbers suggest? Yes, it is: The past 15 years have been a disappointment on a scale we could hardly have imagined. Tim Harford
Inside the European Parliament corruption scandal: Der Spiegel has obtained hundreds of documents from the investigation into the corruption scandal engulfing the European Parliament. They provide deep insight into the widespread influence peddling of a handful of MEPs and show that there may be much more to come. Der Spiegel
Xi’s course correction reveals an agile autocrat under pressure David Ignatius
China turns on the charm: Xi Jinping seeks a break from foreign friction as he wrestles with COVID and a faltering economy. Politico
The chip war comes home: The collateral damage of America's battle with China for the future of tech. Insider
India says BBC documentary on India PM Modi is "propaganda": Reuters reports India's foreign ministry on Thursday dismissed a BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi which questioned his leadership during the 2002 Gujarat riots as "propaganda."
+ The first episode of the two-part documentary “India: The Modi Question” aired on BBC Two on Jan. 17.
Stand aside Washington, here comes Kevin Rudd: The ex-Labour leader’s strengths as a former prime minister, China expert, and close ties to Anthony Albanese and top Biden officials will be in play from day one. FR
Chris Hipkins set to replace Ardern as New Zealand PM: Nikkei reports the education minister was the sole candidate to become new Labour party leader.
Jacinda Ardern's surprise resignation: The art of doing politics differently: Unprecedented in recent political history, where the art of knowing how to retire is rare, the departure of the New Zealand PM illustrates her mastery of the codes of communication. Le Monde
The death of globalization? You won’t find it in New Orleans. The city that was once the world’s gateway to America is betting it can win in a new and different era of global integration. NYT
VA-SEN: Sen. Tim Kaine says he will seek another term.
George Santos has got to go: He’s a bad example to the young, an embarrassment to the old, an insult to the institution and America. Peggy Noonan
+ 40% of Americans approve of the job Joe Biden is doing as president, according to Gallup.
Union membership rate hits record low despite votes at Apple, Amazon, Starbucks: WSJ reports the decline comes even as unions added more members than in any year since 2008.
Supreme Court poised to reconsider key tenets of online speech: The cases could significantly affect the power and responsibilities of social media platforms. NYT
USDA moves to crack down on ‘organic’ fraud: The agency will boost its oversight of organic products in one of the biggest-ever changes to the National Organic Program. WP
Amazon Web Services (AWS) announced Friday morning an investment of $35 billion in Virginia by 2040 to establish multiple data center campuses across the state, according to Gov. Glenn Youngkin's office.
Google cuts 12,000 jobs in the latest round of big tech layoffs.
Google calls in help from Larry Page and Sergey Brin for AI fight: A rival chatbot has shaken Google out of its routine, with the founders who left three years ago re-engaging and more than 20 AI projects in the works. NYT
Vox Media announced it’s letting go of 7% of its staff across several teams, including editorial.
As states ban TikTok on government devices, evidence of harm is thin: Some states’ have copied others’ wording, including mistakes, as some professors complain the bans rob them of a teaching tool. WP
FTX founder gamed markets, crypto rivals say: Sam Bankman-Fried found ways to control the prices of digital coins to benefit his companies, FTX and Alameda, according to cryptocurrency investors. NYT
Why Toyota spent years treating electric cars like the enemy: Once a pioneer in green transportation, the company is now uttered in the same breath as Exxon. What happened? Slate
GM, LG scrap plans to partner on fourth factory: WSJ reports a US battery-cell factory that had been in the works between General Motors and LG Energy Solution has been shelved indefinitely.
Britishvolt: How Britain’s big battery hope ran out of charge: Start-up’s collapse deals a blow to UK’s attempt to supply electric-car industry. FT
Scenes from Tampa’s ‘dead mall,’ alive with nostalgia: At the transforming University Mall near USF, some still shop and work, while others come for the vibes. TBT
9 trends that will shape work in 2023 and beyond HBR
How large language models will transform science, society, and AI: Scholars in computer science, linguistics, and philosophy explore the pains and promises of GPT-3. Alex Tamkin + Deep Ganguli
How smart are the robots getting? The Turing test used to be the gold standard for proving machine intelligence. This generation of bots is racing past it. NYT
Technology needs more humanity: As the casualties of “progress” pile up, the self-assured march of AI and other newfangled technologies onto society demands a critical evaluation. Eduardo Porter
How scientists discovered the universe is really freaking huge: Edwin Hubble’s name is everywhere in astronomy. Henrietta Leavitt’s should be too. Vox
Space launches from Canada will be allowed soon, transport minister says: Rules coming within three years, but interim launches can be approved before that. CBC
The cult of the 90s: Remember "That '70s Show"? Netflix has revived the hit TV series with "That '90s Show," a sequel that indulges in 1990s nostalgia. But what defined the era? DW
The blueprint that turned around the New York Giants and their quarterback: Daniel Jones’s future was in doubt when new coach Brian Daboll came in. Then Daboll turned around his career—the same way he had done with the Bills’ Josh Allen. WSJ
Andy Murray won’t go gently Jason Gay
From tennis to F1, smallscreen sports docu-series make big impact AFP
In USMNT’s Berhalter/Reyna saga, everyone involved faces uncertain future Sam Stejskal
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal
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