Hamas, Biden-Xi summit, Big Tech, Movies, New England Patriots, plus 1,000 more actionable insights.
ITK Daily is geopolitical business intelligence for communications pros.
Happy Tuesday.
Here’s today’s ITK Daily.
To be ITK, know this:
A fractured Israel unites around a singular goal: Crush the enemy: The nation has come together, but Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu risks succumbing to the same fate as his predecessor 50 years ago. Bloomberg
WSJ: Israel’s hostage crisis deepens with execution threat
BBC: Hamas claims to have over 100 Israelis held captive
WP: Israel orders siege; Hamas threatens hostages
NYT: Israel orders siege of Gaza; Hamas threatens to kill hostages
+ Benjamin Netanyahu said Israel was ‘just getting started’ in its response to the war started by Hamas.
+ Yoav Gallant, Israel’s defense minister, ordered a ‘complete siege’ on Gaza. ‘No electricity, no food, no fuel,’ he said.
+ The US will move an aircraft carrier, ships, and jets to the eastern Mediterranean.
Why Hamas has decided to break the status quo and defy Israel: Palestinian commandos have attacked Israeli towns for the first time since the establishment of the Hebrew state in 1948. Le Monde
The day Hamas radically changed the course of the Israel-Palestine conflict: Launching the deadliest attack to hit Israeli territory, killing and kidnapping civilians and soldiers alike, the Palestinian group changed the balance of power on the ground. Le Monde
Hamas attack is an intelligence failure that may take Israel years to unravel David Ignatius
How did Israel miss what Hamas was planning? Despite intense digital and satellite monitoring, Israel’s security services were caught just as off-guard as they were by Egypt and Syria with the Yom Kippur War. Jamie Dettmer
Reuters: Bank of Israel to sell up to $30 bln of forex to stabilize shekel
Old lessons for new maritime statecraft BJ Armstrong
Marines double down on ties to Philippines with new deployment: Marine Corps Times reports positioning Marines forward in the Indo-Pacific is part of the Corps’ plan for countering a potential adversary as technologically adept as China.
Japan expedites purchase of Tomahawks as security concerns grow: TJT reports in light of the increasingly challenging Asian security environment, Japan will acquire the cruise missiles a year earlier than initially planned.
Japan begins releasing second batch of treated Fukushima water: TJT reports the release, part of a decommissioning process expected to take decades, has stirred tensions with some neighboring nations.
Economy vs. environment: Some Taiwanese consider cashing in their chips WP
Applying Chinese wisdom to resolve the Taiwan issue: Some 70 years after the Chinese Civil war ended, do the winners of that war still think that violence is the way to achieve unification with Taiwan? Frank Ching
‘Be not afraid’: The world needs Pope Francis to be fearless on China Rep. Mike Gallagher
US, China both try to gain upper hand ahead of Biden-Xi summit: WSJ reports Washington is expected to roll out updated tech controls, while Xi Jinping is expected to mark closeness with Vietnam on the heels of Biden visit there.
Sweden ‘beefing up’ military presence in Arctic to counter Russian threat: Breaking Defense reports: “We’re cognizant of the fact Russia is retaking a lot of positions that they used to have in the Arctic,” said Pål Jonson, Sweden's defense minister. “There is a degree of militarization…and we have to respond to that.”
EU to US: Help, we can’t cope without you on Ukraine: The bloc’s foreign policy chief says Europe can’t compensate if Washington drops support for Kyiv. Politico
Russia withdraws Black Sea fleet vessels from Crimea base after Ukrainian attacks: WSJ reports the pullout represents painful setback for the Kremlin, which seized Crimea in 2014.
Reuters: Russia plans naval base on Black Sea coast of breakaway Georgian region - Izvestiya
Reuters: Russian missile strike on Ukraine village kills 51 during memorial to fallen soldier
Reuters: Russian rouble tumbles to over 18-month low vs dollar
AP: Israeli arms quietly helped Azerbaijan retake Nagorno-Karabakh, to the dismay of region’s Armenians
+ Rishi Sunak is calling for ‘creative Europe-wide solutions’ to the migration crisis, at a summit in Spain today.
Britain's Labour plans to 'rewire' the country, ease grid delays: Reuters reports Britain's opposition Labour Party on Sunday said it would speed up connections to the country's National Grid network as part of investment in clean energy infrastructure and to ease delays electricity companies face.
France starts pulling soldiers out of Niger: Politico reports Emmanuel Macron’s military drawdown in Africa’s Sahel region continues.
US preparing to officially designate military takeover in Niger as a coup d’etat after months of delay, officials say: CNN reports the US State Department is preparing to officially designate the military takeover in Niger as a coup d’etat as soon as next week, three US officials told CNN, a decision which could have dramatic implications on the ability of the US to work with a crucial counter-terrorism partner in the region.
US F-16 shoots down Turkish drone flying over American troops in Syria: Politico reports the drone, which belonged to the Turkish government, was armed with air-to-ground missiles and deemed a threat to the American troops and Syrian Democratic Forces at the Tal Baydar base.
Migration and fentanyl take center stage as US and Mexican officials meet: NYT reports the secretary of state and other top Biden administration officials met with Mexico’s president and other officials to discuss issues that have divided the two countries.
WP: As House GOP flails, government shutdown fears reemerge
Washington is in chaos. On Connecticut’s Gold Coast, Wall Street’s elite are nervous. Days after Congress temporarily averted a government shutdown, McCarthy’s sudden exit is shaking the financial sector’s faith in lawmakers’ ability to manage their fiscal obligations. Politico
The race for Speaker is about to get real Ben Jacobs
McCarthy signals openness to House Speaker comeback: WSJ reports Republicans are planning a vote to pick the party’s nominee later this week.
RFK Jr. shifts to independent presidential bid: WSJ reports Robert F. Kennedy Jr. ended his Democratic presidential bid and said he plans to run as an independent, which could make him a spoiler in the 2024 election.
Republicans turn on Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as he launches independent bid: WP reports Republicans are turning on RFK Jr. as he announces an independent presidential bid, underscoring nervousness on both sides on how the gadfly and other potential third-party candidates might scramble the races.
Cornel West slams Biden, Trump, and runs as 2024 independent: WSJ reports the academic and activist is switching gears after initially pursuing Green Party nomination.
September hottest on record by 'extraordinary' margin: EU monitor: TJT reports the average surface air temperature for the month was around 1.75 C hotter than the September average in the 1850-1900 pre-industrial period.
AP: X removes article headlines in latest platform update, widening a rift with news media
+ Linked articles now appear as an image, and include text in the left-hand corner noting the domain of the link. Users must click on the image if they wish to visit the full article, which could lead to confusion.
+ Price of Twitter acquisition: $44 billion. Current estimated value: $8 billion.
Smiling kids, gorgeous sunsets: Is it photo editing or just plain lying? AI blurs the line between photography and ‘fauxtography.’ On Google’s new Pixel 8 phones, you can face swap for the perfect family portrait. WSJ
+ BTW. You will spend 7 years of your life looking at your phone.
AI and culture, friends or foes? ChatGPT has made us realize that we're living through a cultural revolution. Between fascination for creative opportunities and fear of the programmed obsolescence of its professions, it's a time of change for the arts and creative industries. Le Monde
Big Tech struggles to turn AI hype into profits: Microsoft, Google, Adobe, and other companies are experimenting with an array of tactics to make, market, and charge for AI. WSJ
Reuters: Porsche-backed Sensigo deploys AI tools to smooth vehicle repairs
The wager that betting can change the world: A coterie of tech insiders believe that “prediction markets” can fix social ills. Are they right? NYT
America’s high EV costs are driving buyers to hybrids: Bloomberg reports concerns about high sticker prices and limited charging infrastructure for electric cars are driving renewed interest in the gasoline-electric vehicles.
China’s EV threat: A carmaker that loses $35,000 a car: Chinese electric vehicle companies like Nio are pulling ever further ahead, partly through government support but also through rapid technological advances. NYT
Microsoft is reportedly working on its own AI chip.
Amazon is launching its first internet satellites.
ARS Tech: Japan is studying a reusable rocket, but it won’t fly before 2030
Holtec International said on Friday it has filed with US regulators to reopen a closed nuclear power plant in Michigan, part of a process that, if successful, would allow the first ever US reopening of a shut commercial reactor.
Wednesday: Birkenstock is expected to make its trading debut.
Is it still worth going to the movies? After 23 years of film criticism, I was back in front of the screen as a civilian. I had no idea what I would find. AO Scott
‘What a special place to be in.’ Triathletes swim in the Seine ahead of Paris Olympics AP
+ The organizers of the 2028 Games in Los Angeles will recommend including baseball and softball, T20 cricket, flag football, lacrosse, and squash.
Belichick at sea: The New England Patriots’ sad, sinking season: The Grumpy Lobster Boat Captain made a case as the NFL’s greatest coach. The current team may push him to motor off into the sunset. Jason Gay
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal
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