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AP: Israeli parliament takes first major step in Netanyahu’s contentious overhaul, deepening divisions
WP: Israeli government votes to limit Supreme Court powers amid mass protests
The Times: Protesters face water cannon as Israel passes judicial power grab
The Economist: A blow against Israel’s Supreme Court plunges the country into crisis
Israeli parliament votes in Netanyahu’s controversial supreme court changes: The Guardian reports roars and cries from demonstrators as bill passes 64-0 after opposition politicians leave plenum in protest.
Israeli parliament passes part of Netanyahu’s judicial overhaul: WSJ reports the move, part of a plan to limit the court system’s power, defied months of protests and plunged the country further into a political crisis that has raised fears about national security.
Protests intensify across Israel despite Netanyahu’s offer to delay broader judicial overhaul: NYT reports demonstrations around the country came after the Israeli Parliament passed a contentious measure restricting the ways in which the Supreme Court can overrule the government. The country’s nationalist right celebrated the law’s passage as just the beginning.
How Biden should address Israel’s judiciary crisis: Netanyahu’s move to stifle judges’ independence endangers not just democracy but also regional security. Bobby Ghosh
Bloomberg: China envoy’s month-long absence takes toll on Xi’s diplomacy
+ Foreign Minister Qin Gang not seen in public since June 25
+ Nations delay visits, seek alternatives amid Beijing’s silence
Bloomberg: Top UK diplomat delays China trip after envoy’s disappearance
+ James Cleverly puts off fence-mending mission, people say
+ China diplomat Qin Gang absent from public for almost a month
China secretly sends enough gear to Russia to equip an army: Politico reports shipments of military-capable hardware expose a China-sized loophole in Western sanctions.
How China’s military is slowly squeezing Taiwan: For all the focus on a potential invasion, some in Taipei fear a Chinese pressure campaign that gradually changes the status quo. FT
US weighs potential deal with China on fentanyl: WSJ reports Beijing has demanded the US lift restrictions on police forensics institute said by Washington to have facilitated human-rights abuses in Xinjiang.
China hits back against Western sanctions: The Communist Party is becoming less timid in its retaliation against American economic warfare. Economist
China leaders vow to boost ‘tortuous’ economic recovery: Lack of detail in keenly awaited politburo statement likely to disappoint investors. FT
Chinese money flees the Western world: Chinese investors who once bought New York City hotels and other Western assets are placing their money elsewhere, including Indonesia’s nickel industry. WSJ
In Singapore, loud echoes of Beijing’s positions generate anxiety: Xi Jinping wants to build influence among ethnic-Chinese communities in Southeast Asia, raising concerns that the Chinese Communist Party is stoking divided loyalties. WP
AP: North Korea fires 2 short-range ballistic missiles after US submarine arrives in South Korea
Macron visits New Caledonia to push agreement on territory's future: After five years, the French president is back in the archipelago, which is still on the path to self-determination, as part of a trip to Oceania. Le Monde
Reuters: As Japan aligns with US chip curbs on China, some in Tokyo feel uneasy
+ From this week, Japan is restricting 23 types of equipment, ranging from machines that deposit films on silicon wafers to devices that etch out the microscopic circuits of chips that could have military uses.
Fukushima nuclear plant water release within weeks raises worries about setbacks to businesses: AP reports within weeks, the tsunami-hit Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant is expected to start releasing treated radioactive wastewater into the sea, a highly contested plan facing fierce protests in and outside Japan.
France’s foreign-policy revolution: A French geopolitical shift on NATO and enlargement could reshape the future of Europe. Economist
Bloomberg: Canada bans some fossil fuel subsidies, meeting decade-old G20 pledge
+ Government targets handouts that mainly benefit oil and gas
+ But projects that reduce net emissions will be exempted
Biden chooses a longtime Hill aide respected by Republicans as his new legislative affairs director: AP reports Biden is tapping Shuwanza Goff — a veteran congressional aide who also served as his main point of contact to the House at the start of the administration — as his new director of legislative affairs, making her the first Black woman to be the White House’s chief emissary to Capitol Hill.
Rebooting Ron Michelle Cottle
A ‘leaner-meaner’ DeSantis campaign faces a reboot and a reckoning: NYT reports the campaign’s missteps and swelling costs have made donors and allies anxious. One person close to the Florida governor said he had experienced a “challenging learning curve.”
Billionaire donors cool on Ron DeSantis over rightwing policies: FT reports Ken Griffin and Nelson Peltz are rethinking support for Florida governor’s presidential bid.
Ron DeSantis plans to shake up 2024 campaign staff: Bloomberg reports DeSantis is elevating digital director Ethan Eilon to deputy campaign manager, according to the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss personnel moves. Eilon is seen internally as adept at keeping a close eye on the operation’s spending.
On the road with Will Hurd, the bipartisan candidate in search of a base: Hoping to break through a crowded presidential field in 2024, the former Texas congressman is pitching himself as a modern and moderate Republican with a bipartisan vision. NYT
Even as third indictment looms, many Republicans still stand by Trump: WP reports the range of Republican voters’ views on Trump shows he continues to have a tight grip on the party, even among those weary of his rhetoric and legal woes.
Thorny rules and maybe an absent Trump: A month out from the first GOP debate: NYT reports Republican presidential candidates are supposed to face off in Milwaukee on Aug. 23. But Donald Trump, the field’s front-runner, may not show up, and others have yet to make the cut.
How Mexico has become the “enemy” of America’s Republicans: A growing number of them want to use military force against drug cartels. The Economist
How a Mexican lager quietly rose to become America’s best-selling beer: A decade before Bud Light faced a conservative-led boycott over a transgender influencer, Modelo Especial was on track to take the No. 1 spot. NYT
Twitter, Facebook, Google: See the companies that rebranded themselves: Elon Musk shifting Twitter to ‘X’ draws from a familiar corporate playbook. WSJ
All the ways Elon Musk’s X is different from Twitter Margaret Hartmann
New EV from truck maker Hino to debut in US next year: Nikkei reports the Toyota unit to partner with Norway's Hexagon to develop the zero-emission vehicle.
Why America’s largest tool company couldn’t make a wrench in America: A highly automated Texas factory was supposed to bring the manufacturing of Craftsman mechanics’ tools back to American shores. The $90 million project was doomed by equipment problems and slow production. WSJ
Why businesses can’t stop asking for tips: Employers far beyond restaurants rely on the practice to avoid paying higher wages; testing customer limits. WSJ
Cerberus, Highgate miss payments on $415 million hotel mortgage: Bloombeg reports it's another sign of spreading trouble in commercial real estate.
LVMH becomes late addition to running order of Paris Olympic sponsors: FT reports the deal with luxury group will help bridge budget gap for organisers of 2024 games.
Bloomberg: LVMH to sponsor Paris Olympics in a first for luxury group
Bloomberg: Disney considers delaying some 2023 movie releases over strikes
Kate Winslet, Emily Blunt, and Olivia Colman movies headed to Toronto film festival: Despite the actors’ strike limiting promotional activity, a bumper lineup of Oscar-tipped films is set to premiere in September. The Guardian
TIFF 2023 pushes through strikes, releases lineup Jason P. Frank
Amsterdam wants prostitutes out, locals fear they will be next: The Dutch capital wants to move its renowned red-light district to the outskirts in the hope of alluring new residents. Residents fear they may be the next evicted. Le Monde
The United States is already a soccer country: Lionel Messi is here, the USWNT are chasing a World Cup three-peat—it’s time to stop asking the what if, and move onto what has become real. Jason Gay
Kylian Mbappé: Al-Hilal submit world-record €300m bid for PSG forward: The Guardian reports the Saudi Arabian club Al-Hilal have submitted a world-record bid for Kylian Mbappé, understood to be worth €300m (£259m), and are willing to pay the forward €200m for a one-season stay if that is what it takes to get the deal done.
+ The move comes after Paris Saint-Germain left Mbappé out of their squad for their pre-season tour of Japan, determined to sell him unless he signs a new contract.
Tour de France 2023: The duel between Vingegaard and Pogacar, from the battles for seconds to the knockout: As he did in 2022, the Danish cyclist finished the race in yellow. His duel with the Slovenian, who came second overall by more than seven minutes, kept followers on the edge of their seats for the first two weeks until the end of the Alps. Le Monde
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal
Caracal produces ITK Daily.
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