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ITK Daily is geopolitical business intelligence for communications pros.
Happy Friday.
Here’s today’s ITK Daily.
To be ITK, know this:
WSJ: Hamas militants had detailed maps of Israeli towns, military bases, and infiltration routes
+ Documents found on Hamas fighters show the scale of planning behind the deadly attack
+ Hamas says the attack was planned for two years
Hamas explains how they did it: ‘We made them think that Hamas was busy with governing Gaza,’ says a senior official. WSJ - Editorial
How Hamas caught Israel off guard: The first day of the attack, minute by minute: On October 7 at 6:29 am, the first sirens sounded. The militant Palestinian group Hamas had launched Operation Al-Aqsa Flood, attacking Israeli territory by land, air, and sea. Le Monde
Why Hamas attacked—and why Israel was taken by surprise: A conversation With Martin Indyk. Foreign Affairs
This war isn’t like Israel’s earlier wars: The parallels between this crisis and the Yom Kippur War of 1973 are striking, but superficial. The differences are what will shape the conflict to come. Michael Oren
WP: Israel transforms itself for war as Gaza invasion looms
WP: Israel seeks end to Hamas as Gaza casualties soar
NYT: Israel retaliates in the Gaza Strip with no sign of relief for civilians
Bloomberg: Egypt’s Sisi urges Gazans to remain on their land
+ Israel's energy minister said that aid, including water and fuel, wouldn't flow into Gaza until all the hostages taken by Hamas were returned.
+ Israel Katz said, "No electrical switch will be turned on, no water tap opened, no fuel truck will enter until the Israelis taken hostage are returned home."
Israel aims to dismantle Hamas as Blinken tries to prevent wider war: WSJ reports Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Israel to avoid civilian casualties amid growing fears of a wider regional conflict as Israel pounded Gaza with airstrikes.
Hamas took at least 64 captives into Gaza, visual evidence suggests: WP reports the presence of scores of captives in Gaza, a large majority of them civilians, increases the risks involved in a possible Israeli invasion.
Today: Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin plans to visit Israel.
+ The Pentagon has transferred to Israel the first missiles in US inventories for the Iron Dome air-defense system to intercept Hamas rockets.
+ American A-10 planes — nicknamed Warthogs for their snub-nose design and their ability to powerfully assist ground troops — have arrived in Israel, according to United States Central Command.
Why the White House decided not to put ‘boots on the ground’ to rescue American hostages: The determination was made that the situation in Gaza presented too many risks and variables for US forces to be involved. But it could be revisited. Politico
WP: US, Qatar agree to stop Iran from tapping $6 billion fund after Hamas attack
China’s soft message on Hamas is part of a much bigger strategy: Politico reports this latest eruption of Middle East violence gives Beijing an opportunity to offer developing countries a US-displacing alternative vision for global leadership.
Japanese foreign minister defends Israel's right to protect itself: NHK reports Foreign Minister Kamikawa Yok has defended Israel's right to protect itself in the ongoing conflict against Palestinian militants. She also expressed hope that the situation will calm down as soon as possible.
+ Britain began airlifting Brits stranded in Israel.
+ British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said Thursday that he has directed UK military assets to the eastern Mediterranean to “support Israel, reinforce regional stability and prevent escalation.”
+ UK sends Royal Navy vessels and spy planes to support Israel
Germany offers Israel military help: DW reports Chancellor Olaf Scholz told Germany's parliament that the country stands firmly at Israel's side.
Canada is scrambling to evacuate its own citizens and to push for humanitarian aid for those who need it in the region.
+ The Canadian Armed Forces are dispatching military planes to Tel Aviv. Their mission is to pull out citizens in Israel who want a ride home.
+ It's time for that eternal question in Ottawa: How relevant is Canada in all of this?
+ Five allies, each of them a member of the G7, released a joint statement on Israel. Canada wasn't on the list.
Macron urges 'strong and fair' response by Israel to Hamas attack: Le Monde reports French President Emmanuel Macron addressed the nation on Thursday amid the Israel-Hamas conflict. He said 13 French citizens have died in Israel.
Politico: Biden’s choice: Let Iranian oil flow or watch prices rise
+ “Without oil, they have no money,” Sen. Lindsey Graham said of the Iranians. “Without money, terrorism loses its biggest benefactor.”
As world’s eyes shift, Ukraine and Russia look to sway opinions: Kyiv says Russia is looking to leverage the Israel-Hamas war to dampen support for Ukraine, while Moscow is calling it a failure of the West. NYT
US intensifies push to use Moscow’s $300 billion war chest for Kyiv: WP reports considerable amounts of Kremlin funds are frozen in Western nations, and the Biden administration is increasingly interested in using them to benefit Ukraine.
+ In his first known international trip this year, Russian President Vladimir Putin arrived Thursday in Kyrgyzstan, where he will meet with Eastern European leaders.
Finland and Estonia suspect sabotage after gas pipeline leak: Le Monde reports Helsinki and Tallinn have received EU and NATO support in the wake of Sunday's gas pipeline damage and the rupture of an undersea telecommunications cable in the Gulf of Finland.
It’s the EU and US against the rest of the world in new steel club: Brussels and Washington prepare to slap 10 to 25 percent tariffs on countries outside their metals club. Politico
Scotland: The SNP continues to fall apart ahead of its annual conference this weekend after MP Lisa Cameron defected to the Conservatives this morning with a blast at “toxic” colleagues in Westminster.
Humza Yousaf eyes 29-seat target for Scottish independence talks: The SNP leader is expected to change the party’s criteria for what kind of general election result would justify negotiations with Westminster. The Times
King Charles to acknowledge ‘painful’ colonial past on state visit to Kenya: The Guardian reports the monarch’s recognition will come as the country prepares to celebrate 60 years of independence from Britain.
What to know about the New Zealand election: Voters head to the polls this weekend in an election that is likely to show a rightward and populist shift in the country’s politics. NYT
China says sends fighter jets to warn US Navy plane in Taiwan Strait: Reuters reports China claims sovereignty over democratically-governed Taiwan, and says it has jurisdiction over the narrow waterway. Taiwan and the United States dispute that, saying the Taiwan Strait is an international waterway.
China’s promise of prosperity brought Laos debt — and distress WP
How US soybeans influence global economics CNBC
WP: Prices rose 3.7 percent in September as Fed keeps up inflation fight
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.
It’s not me, it’s you: Cornel West’s messy breakup: The presidential candidate’s last-minute decision to ghost the Green Party is just the latest rift within the perennially squabbling American left. Politico
AP: Sen. Menendez is accused of being an unregistered agent of Egypt’s government in updated indictment
X fumbles first big Musk-era test of content policies after Israel attack: As social-media companies deal with misidentified videos and graphic violence, the platform formerly known as Twitter struggles to keep up. WSJ
Offer to UAW hits ‘limit’ of Ford’s financial flexibility, executive says: WP reports the day after union workers walked out at the company’s largest factory, a top Ford official said the company can’t offer more without hurting future prospects.
Detroit’s electric reckoning has arrived: The UAW strike against the Big Three isn’t just about wages—it’s about who will suffer the most as America transitions away from combustion engines. Bloomberg
How Axios, Bloomberg, and Semafor grew their events revenue in 2023 Digiday
Montana federal judge voices doubt over state’s TikTok ban: He pushes the state to answer why it’s the only one banning the app for the general public: ‘Does that seem a little strange to you?’ WP
Schumpeter: So long iPhone. Generative AI needs a new device: Is this the twilight of the screen age? Economist
CNBC: Comcast, Disney hire investment banks to value Hulu as sale process makes progress
Google is opening a cafe, store, and event space to the general public near its headquarters.
Survey: Nearly half of Japan firms express caution about investment in China: NHK reports the Japanese Chamber of Commerce and Industry in China polled its member companies about Chinese economic conditions and business environments last month. The organization's first survey of its kind received over 1,400 responses.
+ The results showed that 57 percent of the respondents expected China's economy to worsen at least somewhat in the three months from October compared to the previous quarter.
+ Thirteen percent expected it to improve somewhat.
Neil Shen plots global expansion for Sequoia’s China spin-off: Venture capital firm plots future outside China after split with Silicon Valley giant. FT
We can now see the brain like never before: New, high-resolution map of the brain will help researchers better diagnose and treat diseases. WSJ
New ‘brain atlas’ maps the highly complex organ in dazzling detail: A trove of studies has revealed that human brains contain at least 3,000 cell types. WP
Why Americans are obsessed with these ugly sandals: Margot Fraser’s feet hurt. Then she found Birkenstocks and brought them to the US. Now the company is worth billions of dollars. WSJ
Taylor Swift now has more VMAs than Madonna.
Bad Bunny is moving to Chelsea: The New York Post reports earlier this week that the singer had signed a lease on a $150,000-a-month penthouse on West 27th Street, a 4,500-square-foot aerie with a private outdoor lap pool.
Actors’ strike talks collapse, leaving Hollywood at a standstill: NYT reports the sides said they remained far apart on the most significant issues, dealing a blow to hopes that Hollywood could soon fully roar back to life.
International Olympic Committee suspends Russian Olympic Committee 'with immediate effect': BBC reports the move comes after the ROC recognized regional organizations from four Ukrainian territories illegally annexed by Russia since its full-scale invasion began in 2022.
The Times: Israel and Palestine flags banned from Wembley for England games
David Beckham says he supports a sale of Manchester United.
Disney agonized about sports betting. Now it’s going all in. After years of internal debate, the entertainment giant did a deal with a gambling company and will launch an ESPN betting app next month. WSJ
It’s prime time for bosses to pay attention to Deion Sanders: Some business leaders see the swaggering Colorado football coach as a model because of his ability to make confidence contagious. Callum Borchers
PGA Tour to weigh outside investors as talks over Saudi tie-up continue: Men’s professional golf organization initiates formal bid process amid ‘unsolicited outreach.’ FT
India and Pakistan face off in rare clash at Cricket World Cup: Top-ranked foes bicker ahead of historic match as elections loom in each country. FT
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal
Caracal produces ITK Daily.
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