ITK Daily | July 10

Global Street Smarts.

Happy Monday.

Here’s today’s ITK Daily.

To be ITK, know this: 

Based on five years as an adjunct professor teaching a course on "Globalization and American Politics" at George Washington University, experience working on multiple losing US presidential and UK prime minister campaigns, being called unprofessional by a Chinese Communist Party apparatchik, and sneaking into a Sean "P. Diddy" Combs New Year's Eve bash at a South Beach Miami hotel via the kitchen, I present ITK Summer School.

ITK Summer School is $75 a session or $600 for the complete course with a syllabus, supplemental reading materials, and three must-read books.

More here: https://www.caracal.global/itk-summer-school

Class is in session starting July 11 at 9:00 am ET.

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Yellen trip aids fragile effort by US and China to keep talking: WSJ reports entrenched tensions will test Washington and Beijing’s resolve to move ahead.

WP: Yellen hails modest gains in talks with China but ‘significant disagreements’ remain

FT: US controls on investment will not harm China, Yellen tells Beijing

Bloomberg: Yellen says US-China ties on ‘surer footing’ after Beijing visit

China and the US, still adversaries, are talking. That’s a start. NYT reports Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen, after 10 hours of meetings with Chinese officials, said the two sides would pursue “more frequent communication” despite their differences.

Yellen says China visit made 'progress,' vows more communication: Nikkei reports Treasury Secretary says US willing to hear Beijing's concerns on targeted actions.

Has Janet Yellen's trip to Beijing improved US-China relations? BBC

Four impressions from Beijing: The city's evolution, the trauma of the pandemic, enthusiasm to reconnect, isolation from geopolitical gloom. Graham Webster

Beijing accuses NATO of holding Indo-Pacific countries 'hostage': Le Monde reports Beijing is concerned about the Alliance's interest in the Asia-Pacific, accusing it of playing the confrontation card ahead of the NATO summit in Vilnius on July 11.

NATO to defer decision on Tokyo liaison office: Nikkei reports French opposition makes a deal at summit unlikely, leaving bloc to continue talks.

Macron blocks NATO outpost in Japan amid Chinese complaints: Politico reports divisions open up over NATO’s Asian outreach ahead of leaders’ summit in Vilnius.

Albanese is more than a tourist at NATO: Investing seriously in Australia’s diplomacy with Europe is about building coalitions to support a global system that respects our shared interests and values. Rory Medcalf

NATO seeks show of Unity amid Ukraine War and internal spats: WSJ reports ahead of the annual summit, President Biden says Kyiv isn’t ready to join the alliance amid some calls for speedier membership.

Biden says Ukraine is not ready for NATO membership: NYT reports President Biden, who will attend a NATO summit this week, said it was “premature” to allow Ukraine to join the alliance as the war with Russia continues.

Biden, US leaders insist war with Russia must end before Ukraine joins NATO: WP reports President Biden said he and Ukraine’s president have laid out a “rational path” about what it would take for Ukraine to qualify for NATO membership.

US and Germany resist pressure to advance Ukraine’s NATO bid: FT reports fraught negotiations on membership application threaten to expose divisions at Vilnius summit.

Bloomberg: Biden, Erdogan speak as US seeks deal on Sweden’s NATO bid

A revived NATO comes to Vilnius: Putin’s war has revitalized the alliance, which would be even stronger with Ukraine as a member after the war. WSJ-Editorial

Solidarity or squabbling: Five things to watch at NATO’s Summit Bloomberg

Russia-Ukraine war at a glance: What we know on day 501 of the invasion: Guardian reports Volodymyr Zelenskiy announces return of Mariupol commanders from Turkey and Rishi Sunak reiterates UK’s ban on cluster munitions.

Europe wasn’t built for our era of hard power and war: Europeans are vegetarians in a world of carnivores, from Russia and China to the US. They can’t, or won’t, grow fangs. Andreas Kluth

Pope Francis to elevate new cardinals: WSJ reports the elevation of 21 men, including a US-born archbishop, to the College of Cardinals, will deepen Francis’ imprint on the body that will elect his successor.

Deep-sea mining tussle pits France and Germany against China: FT reports crunch talks in Jamaica to determine future of drive to extract critical minerals from ocean depths.

The Times: ‘I hate tree-huggers’: Starmer rift with Miliband deepens over green agenda

Iowa Republicans to hold 2024 caucus on Martin Luther King Jr holiday: Guardian reports the move to 15 January puts the first votes of the GOP primary a little more than six months away.

The DeSantis campaign looks to have stalled: WSJ reports the Florida governor’s support is flat in national and early-state polling.

The Hill: Ocasio-Cortez backs Biden for reelection

Can Biden make ‘Bidenomics’ a winning message in 2024? Dan Balz

The obsession with EV range is all wrong Shannon Osaka

Toyota to issue $1.5bn in bonds for EV, safety projects: Nikkei reports the automaker's first sustainability dollar notes in 2 years carry higher yields.

Meta launches the first credible Twitter killer: Will Twitter share space with Threads … or is there only room for one? Brooke Sample

What’s stopping marketers getting the CEO role? Very few CEOs have a marketing background, so why are leaders in this key business discipline failing to get the top job? Sarah Vizard

WP: Randall Stephenson resigns from PGA Tour policy board over LIV deal

Le Monde: US soccer star Megan Rapinoe to retire after the NWSL season

Guardian: NBA Cup: Format and groups for long-awaited in-season tournament revealed

+ FA Cup-style in-season tournament will launch in November

+ Games won’t count in standings and prize pool is about $18m

Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.

-Marc 

Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal


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