War, Hostages, OpenAI, Marc Andreessen, F1, plus 1,000 more actionable insights.
ITK Daily is geopolitical business intelligence for communications pros.
Happy Saturday.
Here’s today’s ITK Daily.
To be ITK, know this:
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Three actionable lessons of an Oval Office address
An Oval Office address is among the most solemn settings for a speech made by a US President.
The format is often delivered to announce a significant new policy initiative or during times of national emergency.
Presidents have used an Oval Office address to communicate with the American people and move public opinion directly.
Some argue that the traditional Oval Office address is falling out of favor in our modern, over-stimulated, defused communications environment.
I disagree.
Three actionable lessons here - full post.
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Minister of Defence of Israel Yoav Gallantlaid out a three-part war plan to Israeli lawmakers:
1. Israel will use airstrikes and “maneuvering,” likely code for the ground invasion, to mostly defeat Hamas.
2. Lower-intensity fighting will continue as Israel battles any remaining pockets of resistance.
3. Then, there will be “the removal of Israel’s responsibility for life in the Gaza Strip.”
TOI: Israel sets out 3 phases of war; will seek new ‘security regime’ once Hamas vanquished
+ Defense minister Gallant says Israel currently engaged in the first of three expected phases of conflict, airstrikes, with ground maneuver to follow
+ Israel aims to disentangle itself from Gaza and to create a “new security reality” in the region, Yoav Gallant said to the parliamentary foreign affairs and defense committee in Tel Aviv.
What a ground war in Gaza could look like WP
What to know about Hamas' tunnels: A network of tunnels built by the militant Hamas group presents a unique challenge that will make already difficult urban warfare more complex if there is an Israeli ground invasion of Gaza. DW
How the new gadgetry of war is shaping the Gaza conflict The Times
WSJ: Two American hostages released as US pressures Israel to delay Gaza invasion
+ Calls mount for further releases as Israel prepares for ground operations against Hamas
Bloomberg: US presses Israel to delay Gaza invasion to get hostages out
AFP: Macron says Qatar played 'very important role' in release of US hostages held by Hamas
Essay: The goal for US diplomacy with Israel is first calm, then peace: With dangers rising across the Middle East, America needs a two-phase effort to stabilize the conflict in Gaza and resolve core Israeli-Palestinian issues. WSJ
Israel is about to make a terrible mistake Thomas L. Friedman
The inflection point: A speech that may well define Biden’s presidency. Peter Wehner
Biden’s vast diplomatic challenge in the Middle East: The US president aims to show solidarity with Israel, manage relations with Arab partners, and prevent the war in Gaza from spiraling. FT
Blinken acknowledges Mideast crisis taking toll on staff: Politico reports the chief diplomat sent a note to the State Department as many Muslim staffers have grown unhappy about the US approach to the Israel-Hamas war.
What is Saudi Arabia’s next move? Iran’s so-called axis of resistance as the ‘real’ defender of the Palestinians has reclaimed the narrative. Kim Ghattas
Israel-Hamas war: The anger of the Global South: The intensity and spread of the protests against Western democracies since October 7 are indicative of a political shift, under the dual pressure of the wars in Ukraine and Gaza. Le Monde - Editorial
Russia ‘is whipping up’ extreme Islamist sentiment against Sweden: The Times reports following the shootings of two Swedish football fans in Brussels, the head of Sweden’s psychological defense agency says the Kremlin is fomenting unrest in an attempt to destabilize Sweden on its way to NATO membership.
Philippine military ordered to stop using artificial intelligence apps due to security risks: AP reports the Philippine defense chief has ordered all defense personnel and the 163,000-member military to refrain from using digital applications that harness artificial intelligence to generate personal portraits, saying they could pose security risks.
China is set to dominate the deep sea and its wealth of rare metals WP
The Times: China will double nuclear warheads by 2030, Pentagon says
How do Labour by-election wins compare to Tony Blair’s 1997 rout? Conservatives were quick to blame swings in Tamworth and Mid Bedfordshire on voter apathy, but that is to forget the lessons of history. The Times
Power for Africa: The boom of nuclear energy? Many African countries are eyeing nuclear power to solve electrification challenges. Experts say this is the wrong direction, pointing to solar energy as a welcome alternative for the sunny continent. DW
Argentina’s tear-it-all-down frontrunner connects with angry young men WP
WP: Rep. Jim Jordan is out as House speaker nominee after a closed-door GOP vote
Bloomberg: Trump loyalist Jim Jordan loses Republican House speaker nomination
Next speaker? House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R-MN) is the frontrunner in a massive field of candidates for speaker now that the House Republican Conference has ousted Rep. Jim Jordan (R-OH) as their speaker designate, Punchbowl News reports.
‘Oof’: Sam Bankman-Fried’s trial reveals inside details of how FTX died: Prosecutors in the criminal fraud case have built the most intricate account to date of the cryptocurrency exchange’s frantic final days. NYT
Spotify is eating the entire music business John Herrman
OpenAI in talks for deal that would value company at $80 billion: The San Francisco start-up’s valuation could triple in less than six months. NYT
Marc Andreessen’s new manifesto is a self-serving cry for help Adam Lashinsky
Apple reportedly cancels Jon Stewart’s Apple TV+ show
+ "creative differences"
+ Stewart and Apple apparently disagreed about some of the show’s topics and guests for the upcoming season, specifically topics related to China and AI.
Trips to Europe will require a new step for American travelers: US visitors to European Union countries will need to plan more once these changes take hold. WSJ
Gwyneth Paltrow’s talking about retirement — say it ain’t so: The Goop founder has said she ‘may disappear’ at some point, but if a new photoshoot is anything to go by, she’s only just getting going. Hilary Rose
Max Verstappen’s brilliance is hurting Formula One: F1 has a boredom problem. Economist
The Times: New Zealand crush Argentina to cruise into World Cup final
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal
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