Always Be Communicating.
Happy Tuesday.
Here’s today’s ITK Daily.
To be ITK, know this:
Ructions | Situation normal
On this episode of Ructions with Ross + Ashley, Marc Ross + Gerald Ashley discuss the Ukrainian counteroffensive, Biden + Zelenskyy vs Putin + Xi, energy policies and demands, Keir Starmer, sports television, plus what they are reading and watching.
Ructions with Ross + Ashley | Episode 4 | Recorded June 9, 2023
You can catch the discussion and show notes here.
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Nuclear arsenals grow as global arms race takes shape - analysis: The increase in nuclear arsenals has raised eyebrows in the Middle East and other regions. Iran is pursuing nuclear weapons and continues to enrich uranium. Jerusalem Post
NATO nations begin giant air force drills in Germany: NYT reports more than 250 aircraft from 24 NATO countries and Japan will participate in a two-week military exercise.
+ The exercise, known as Air Defender, is led by the German government and brings together the largest number of aircraft from outside Germany for a training mission since NATO was founded in 1949. The United States flew about 100 National Guard and Navy aircraft to Germany for the exercises.
Reuters: France to intensify arms delivery to help Ukraine counter-offensive -Macron
AP: France, Germany and Poland back Ukraine’s counteroffensive in a show of unity
CTV: No plans to invite Canada to join AUKUS: White House
US Coast Guard to widen Indo-Pacific presence with eye on China: Nikkei reports Admiral Linda Fagan, the commandant of the US Coast Guard, eyes teaming with Japan, boosting guards in Southeast Asia and Oceania.
China marriage registrations hit record low of 6.83m in 2022: Nikei reports the decline compounds the challenge posed by the aging, shrinking population.
Xi prepares China for ‘extreme’ scenarios, including conflict with the West: Beijing plays up possibility of worsening ties as the US and China set plans for Blinken's visit. WSJ
US and China take steps towards thaw as Blinken prepares to visit Beijing, but mistrust remains: Effort is being stepped up to rebuild relations after the spy balloon incident led to Blinken’s original visit being canceled. Amy Hawkins
Reuters: North Korea's Kim vows to 'hold hands' with Putin for strategic cooperation
China orders last Indian journalist in country to leave: Bloomberg reports the last Indian journalist in China has been asked to leave, as Beijing and New Delhi eject each other’s reporters in a tit-for-tat row deepening a rift between the Asian economic powerhouses.
+ Chinese authorities have instructed the Press Trust of India reporter to leave the country this month
Saudi Arabia signs $5.6bn EV deal as it eyes closer China ties: Al Jazeera reports that Riyadh leads the Arab region in boosting trade ties with Beijing as it looks to diversify its economy away from oil.
US to allow South Korean, Taiwan chip makers to keep operations in China: WSJ reports analysts say the move will weaken export-control measures aimed at curbing Beijing.
Survey: EU mayors list climate action as top priority: More than half say they intend to pass green measures. Politico
Bloomberg: Silvio Berlusconi, Italy leader mired in scandal, dies at 86
+ Billionaire businessman served nine years as prime minister
+ Career marked by crises, graft probes, ‘bunga bunga’ parties
Silvio Berlusconi, Italian prime minister, 1936-2023: Media mogul inescapably linked to economic decline and sometimes woeful standards of public life. FT
How Silvio Berlusconi changed Italy, for better or worse: Whether as a politician or media tycoon, the former prime minister and businessman who died Monday at 86 left an imprint, or a bruise, on just about everything he touched. NYT
Berlusconi’s death poses challenge for his party and for Meloni: Italian PM needs a stable Forza Italia, but without its longtime leader, there are questions over its survival. Angela Giuffrida
Berlusconi’s testosterone politics have been overtaken by women in Italy WP
Nicola Sturgeon arrest: SNP urged to suspend ex-leader: ‘Distressed’ former first minister questioned for seven hours. The Times
What to know about Scottish National Party police probe after Nicola Sturgeon questioned Politico
Britain’s post-Brexit policy drift alarms world’s executives: Complaints from some of the world’s biggest companies highlight the UK’s deteriorating investment climate. Bloomberg
TikTok advert ban slows Albanian migrant Channel crossings: The Times reports the app restricts posts in English or Albanian that are used to encourage small boat crossings.
Bloomberg: Brazil’s Lula eyes trips to Africa to boost trade, diplomacy
Colombian plane crash: Mother told children to leave her so they could survive: Details of woman’s final days emerge after four siblings rescued following almost six weeks in Amazon jungle. Guardian
Today: DJT is arraigned on 37 federal counts in Miami.
Trump indictment shows critical evidence came from one of his own lawyers: NYT reports M. Evan Corcoran, who was hired to represent the former president after the Justice Department issued a subpoena for classified documents at Mar-a-Lago, could be a key witness in the trial.
Trump to host first major fundraiser the day of his arraignment: Politico reports first comes the court date, then comes the money.
The 2024 GOP field faces a choice: Law and order or loyalty: The candidates challenging Donald Trump have to decide how to run against the indicted former president. And it could determine where the party goes from here. NYT
Mayor Francis Suarez of Miami on Sunday urged Americans to listen to his speech Thursday in California, fueling speculation that the Republican presidential field is about to grow by one.
USA Today: The next Georgia? Biden campaign targets North Carolina to reshape 2024 electoral map
Harris gets her cavalry: Top group plans to spend $10 million-plus to boost her: Politico reports EMILY’s List has big plans to defend the vice president before the election.
Anita Dunn, Biden’s brawler-in-chief, looks to 2024 CNN
Most want Dianne Feinstein to resign: A new Emerson College Polling/Inside California Politics survey of California voters finds 63% of voters think Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) should resign from her position, allowing Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) to appoint a successor to complete the remainder of Feinstein’s term.
LAT: Democrats’ plan to take control of Congress could depend on Southern California
AP: Supreme Court won’t review North Carolina’s decision to nix license plates with Confederate flag
Thursday: Supreme Court releases decisions.
Friday: More Supreme Court decisions expected.
The great grift: How billions in COVID-19 relief aid was stolen or wasted: An Associated Press analysis found that fraudsters potentially stole more than $280 billion in COVID-19 relief funding; another $123 billion was wasted or misspent. Combined, the loss represents 10% of the $4.2 trillion the US government has so far disbursed in COVID relief aid.
+ That number is certain to grow as investigators dig deeper into thousands of potential schemes.
Breakup of Google ad-tech business now on table in Europe, too: WSJ reports the EU antitrust case, expected to be filed as early as this week, would add to the US Justice Department’s January lawsuit.
CNBC: FTC to file injunction seeking to block Microsoft’s acquisition of Activision Blizzard
Ex-Samsung executive alleged to have stolen tech to recreate chip plant in China: FT reports six others also indicted as Korea toughens response to leakage of secrets.
The AI revolution will change work. Nobody agrees how. The tally of how many jobs will be “affected by” world-changing technology is different depending on who you ask. FT
Andreessen Horowitz to open London crypto office in first push overseas: FT reports the VC firm to start up international outpost after a renewed regulatory clampdown in the US.
Hotel owners start to write off San Francisco as business nosedives: WSJ reports the city’s once thriving hotel market is suffering its worst stretch in at least 15 years, pummeled by the same forces that have emptied out the city’s office towers and closed many retail stores.
Kylian Mbappe has told his club PSG he will not renew his contract when it expires in June 2024.
FIFA is negotiating to lease as much as 60,000 square-foot in upscale Coral Gables, a city in Miami-Dade County.
+ The Zurich-based organization is bolstering its presence ahead of the 2026 World Cup, when Miami and 15 cities across the US, Mexico, and Canada host games.
+ It’s likely to then make Miami its long-term US base after the tournament, providing proximity to sponsors and offering a gateway to Latin America and the Caribbean.
LIV Golf’s al-Rumayyan and the PGA Tour’s Monahan make strange bedfellows: The stunning golf merger announced last week has raised many questions, and one big one is how will the Saudi wealth fund boss and the tour commissioner manage to work together? NYT
PGA Tour-LIV Golf partnership facing government scrutiny: ESPN reports the US Senate's Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations has opened a review of the PGA Tour's planned alliance with the DP World Tour and Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund.
+ Sen. Richard Blumenthal (D-CT) is launching a probe into the PGA Tour-LIV Golf mega deal.
Netflix plans first live-streamed sports event with celebrity golf tournament: WSJ reports the tournament would feature celebrities from Formula One series “Drive to Survive” and golf program ”Full Swing.”
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal
Caracal produces ITK Daily.
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