ITK Daily is geopolitical business intelligence.
Happy Monday.
Here’s today’s ITK Daily.
To be ITK, know this:
America’s military trails rivals in race for the melting Arctic: US is competing with a Russian-Chinese partnership for a strategic presence but has fewer icebreakers and ports, and less experience. WSJ
An Arctic ‘great game’ as NATO allies and Russia face off in Far North WP
Wang Yi, the return of China’s tough foreign minister: After Qin Gang’s mysterious disappearance, Xi’s trusted old hand finds himself with even more to do. FT
Fog around Qin Gang’s exit signals China’s Communist Party yet to decide fate: Analysts SCMP
What Taylor Swift tells us about Singapore vs Hong Kong: The rivalry between the two cities has been sharpened by the US singer’s international tour plans. Mercedes Ruehl
Putin is looking for a bigger war, not an off-ramp, in Ukraine: New mobilization law is part of a wider effort to maximize Russia’s firepower and blunt Western support for Kyiv. Alexander Gabuev
The Ulez lesson: Voters like eco policies, as long as they cost net zero Robert Colvile
Tony Blair still defines the UK political playbook: George Osborne’s wedding guests aren’t the only ones still dancing to New Labour’s tune. FT
An inquiry into Macron Derangement Syndrome: Dislike of the French president reveals how shallow and tribal politics now is. Janan Ganesh
Bidenomics has a big problem: Too many goals: Clashing objectives on climate, job creation, and equity could undermine the effectiveness of key policies. Bloomberg
Bloomberg: Biden touts US ‘factory boom’ in bid to sell voters on economy
+ Biden visits Maine plant that won trade dispute with China
+ President frustrated voters don’t credit him for economy
Step aside, Joe Biden: The president has no business running for office at age 80. Eliot A. Cohen
Carter, Biden, and American malaise: A combination of domestic morass and bumbling leadership ties two presidents together across the decades. Kimberley A. Strassel
Does DeSantis have a Florida problem? Trump dominates in the Sunshine State. The Republican governor is running on a platform to ‘Make America Florida.’ But his support back home is showing signs of teetering. WP
Trump’s 2024 media play: Less cable, more Barstool: The ex-president is hitting the podcast circuit and showing up at contact and combat sporting events. It’s part of a larger plan. Politico
WP: The top 10 Republican presidential candidates for 2024, ranked
10. Asa Hutchinson
9. Doug Burgum
8. Vivek Ramaswamy
7. Chris Christie
6. Mike Pence
5. Glenn Youngkin
4. Nikki Haley
3. Tim Scott
2. Ron DeSantis
1. Donald Trump
Detroit knows a thing or two about revival — other cities should take notes WEF
What’s wrong with tech giants riding the AI wave: It is dysfunctional for the same companies to dominate another innovation surge. Ruchir Sharma
With Meta’s Threads, Zuck seized an opportunity and took a page from Steve Jobs: Mark Zuckerberg has never been shy about mimicking good ideas from tech competitors. Therese Poletti
Why Hunter, Britain’s best known Wellie, fell from grace: Blaming supply chains, inflation, and changing weather patterns, the Wellington boot brand stumbled toward the brink of extinction this week. Can it be saved by a new (American) owner? NYT
Lordstown CEO was ghosted by Foxconn unit a year before collapse Bloomberg
Laurel Braitman teaches doctors the power of storytelling: The director of writing at Stanford’s medical school says learning communication skills can help healthcare workers feel more ‘fully human.’ WSJ
Tequila toasts and manicures: The wild new landscape of music VIP packages: As musicians make up for time and income lost during the pandemic, perks for fans are getting both more expensive and more bespoke. Now, you can get interactive, intimate, and even drunk with your favorite artist. Rolling Stone
Photographer Annie Leibovitz is on a mission to see how we really live: The superstar snapper’s latest project focuses on ordinary people at home. The Times
Diverse is not the same as cosmopolitan: And the second is much harder to achieve. Janan Ganesh
‘Under the Eye of Power’ review: Why we love a conspiracy: Conspiracy theorists thrive in today’s over-heated digital media. But they’ve been around longer than America. WSJ
The $1bn gamble to bring cricket back to America: A bid to revive a sport that was once bigger than baseball reaches its climax this weekend. Will it pay off? FT
Saudi Arabia’s dizzying scheme to devour the sports world: The kingdom’s insatiable appetite and bottomless riches are remaking global culture. TNR
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal
Caracal produces ITK Daily.
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