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ITK Daily is geopolitical business intelligence for communications pros.
Happy Thursday.
Here’s today’s ITK Daily.
To be ITK, know this:
WSJ: Netanyahu forms unity government to direct war
+ Opposition and military figures to be part of Israel’s new cabinet
Israel’s new unity government pledges to ‘crush’ Hamas: NYT reports after forming a wartime cabinet, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and a top rival, Benny Gantz, presented a united front to the Israeli people.
WP: Israel forms unity government as troops mass near Gaza
The Times: Israel summons 360,000 reservists as it prepares to invade Gaza
Bloomberg: Israel vows to wipe out Hamas as ground war looms
Economist: Brutal urban warfare awaits Israel’s army in Gaza
+ Toppling Hamas might not be possible without an occupation
Bloomberg: Few good options as Israel weighs a ground assault on the Gaza Strip
+ ‘House-to-house fighting’ would follow, Leon Panetta says
+ Questions about Israel’s exit strategy, dangers to hostages
+ Israel said hundreds of its troops are stationed near Gaza, and are ‘ready to execute the mission we have been given’
+ An Egyptian official has claimed Israel is planning for a month-long campaign.
+ @spectatorindex: BREAKING: Israel's PM Netanyahu says 'every member of Hamas is a dead man'
+ “Silence is complicity. I want you to know — I think you have already figured it out, I refuse to be silent, and I know you refuse to be silent as well.” -- President Biden
Al Jazeera: Turkey’s Erdogan calls Israeli siege and bombing of Gaza a ‘massacre’
+ The US is in talks with Israel, the UN, and Egypt on allowing some aid in and residents out, the White House says
The end of America’s exit strategy in the Middle East: Hamas’s Assault—and Iran’s Role in It—Lays Bare Washington’s Illusions. Suzanne Maloney
Today: US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit Israel in a show of support.
US may send second aircraft carrier toward Israel: Politico reports the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower was already scheduled to deploy, but Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin could order it to the eastern Mediterranean.
White House plans to put Ukraine, Taiwan, and border funding in its Israel request: NBC News reports the White House and some key lawmakers had been discussing linking Ukraine and Israel aid.
Early intelligence shows Iranian leaders surprised by Hamas attack, US says: NYT reports the information has fueled doubts in the United States that Iran, a longtime supporter of the Palestinian militant group, played a direct role in planning the assault in Israel.
As Israel bombards Gaza, fears of humanitarian disaster mount: WSJ reports the response to Hamas’s massacre comes amid clashes along Israel’s northern border with Lebanon; Netanyahu forms unity government.
Graphic videos of Hamas attacks spread on X: Politico reports beheadings, mass shootings, and other images linked to the violence targeting Israel widely shared on Elon Musk’s social media network.
Musk given 24 hours to address graphic images of Hamas attacks: Politico reports European Commissioner Thierry Breton and the UK’s Michelle Donelan want Elon Musk to get a grip on gruesome Israel attack videos posted on X.
Bloomberg: Israel-Hamas conflict adds dangers for Ukraine’s war effort
+ Israeli military needs could compete with Kyiv for US supplies
+ Russia hopes Israel turmoil will distract allies from Ukraine
Ukraine tells NATO: Forget me not: Politico reports the alliance insists it can handle crises in Ukraine and Israel at the same time.
WP: Zelensky visits NATO headquarters for allied meeting to support Ukraine
Politico: US to lead on training Ukrainian F-16 pilots
New Zealand’s likely next prime minister signals openness to China WP
How Xi Jinping haunts remote Hokkaido fishing towns: Luxury sea cucumbers and scallops face price falls as China bans imports. Nikkei
Is China's investment in Pakistan slowing down? Cash-strapped Pakistan has asked China to step up funding of projects via the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). DW
Biden won’t directly address the age issue: Allies want the president to do more to demonstrate his fitness. Some say the best vehicle would be the one he least wants — a primary challenge. Jonathan Martin
Republicans nominate Scalise for House Speaker: WSJ reports Steve Scalise won a 113-99 vote over Jim Jordan but needs more GOP support to win on the floor.
WP: House recesses without voting on Scalise as speaker; unclear when lawmakers will reconvene
Bloomberg: House Republicans pick Scalise as Speaker nominee in Trump snub
+ @zerohedge: Total US debt $33.550 trillion (a new record of course). Up $40BN overnight
CNBC: UAW launches strike against Ford’s Kentucky truck plant, signaling major escalation in labor fight
Exxon to buy Pioneer for $60 billion to create shale giant: WSJ reports the deal is Exxon’s largest since its merger with Mobil in the late 1990s and is the biggest corporate transaction so far this year.
In Bankman-Fried trial, Caroline Ellison offers explosive testimony: The former chief executive of Alameda Research detailed stories of bribes, Thai prostitutes, and fundraising from Saudis. WP
FT: Microsoft says IRS has demanded $28.9bn in back taxes
FT: NASA to launch first mission to metal-rich asteroid
Bloomberg: US Space Force pauses generative AI use based on security concerns
From LSD to IPO: Once the symbol of the counterculture, Birkenstock sandals are now the darlings of the fashion world, and the company has gone public. NYT
CNBC: YouTube passes Netflix as top video source for teens
+ Teenagers in the United States say they watch more video on YouTube than Netflix, according to a new survey from investment bank Piper Sandler.
+ The data point shows that the streaming business is getting more competitive, and highlights YouTube’s strong position as a free provider of online video, especially among young people.
The artists behind U2’s impressive visuals at Las Vegas’ Sphere Jessica Stewart
In Vegas, the only thing we have to Sphere is Sphere itself: The future is a mutating dome in the desert. Let us show you around. WP
India-Pakistan rivalry: Whatever happened to ‘cricket diplomacy’? As the rivals face off at the ICC Cricket World Cup 2023, we look at the history of cricket diplomacy; from India and Pakistan to apartheid South Africa and ‘people-to-people’ diplomacy. Al Jazeera
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal
Caracal produces ITK Daily.
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