Intelligence, Malaise, Meta, Tipping, Arthouse Films, plus 1,000 more actionable insights.
ITK Daily is geopolitical business intelligence for communications pros.
Happy Wednesday.
Here’s today’s ITK Daily.
To be ITK, know this:
********
Ben Sasse, Paddy Cosgrave, and free speech in a hyper-geopolitical world
As we live in an ever-increasing hyper-geopolitical world, not only are employees demanding that companies take a side, but global executives are in a bind over unifying messaging.
My advice for global executives, thought leaders, and influential entrepreneurs is threefold.
One, fundamentally, you need to be more competent in geopolitics, history, and economics.
Two, realize you can say and do whatever you want if you are independently wealthy and free of securing revenue or status from multinational corporations.
Third, use the TWIN Framework before you speak.
Full post - click here.
********
‘Netanyahu got all the warnings,’ says former head of Israeli military intelligence: Former chief of Israeli military intelligence Amos Yadlin on where the war goes from here. Politico
Hamas attack on Israel: What US intelligence services told their European counterparts: According to US intelligence, Hamas was surprised by the slowness of the Israeli security forces's response to the offensive by its armed commandos. Le Monde
How Hamas planned its October 7 attack on Israel Le Monde
US troops in Middle East brace for ‘significant escalation’ of attacks: Military Times reports the Pentagon on Monday announced that troops in Syria had shot down two more drones near al-Tanf garrison, bringing the total number of confirmed attacks on US troops in Iraq and Syria over the past week to four.
+ Two dozen American military personnel were wounded last week in a series of drone attacks at American bases in Iraq and Syria.
+ The White House has accused Iran of ‘actively facilitating’ some attacks on US military bases in Iraq and Syria.
+ US warns it would react ‘swiftly and decisively’ if American personnel are attacked
NYT: US raises concerns about Israel’s plan of action in Gaza, officials say
+ The Pentagon has sent officers to help the Israelis with the challenges of fighting an urban war.
Can America handle two wars, and maybe a third? The superpower is becoming overstretched. Economist
Macron calls for international coalition against Hamas: Le Monde reports on a visit to Tel Aviv in Israel and Ramallah in the West Bank, the French president also called for a 'decisive relaunch of the political process.'
Macron calls for ‘decisive relaunch’ of peace process during Israel visit: Politico reports the French president called for the international coalition fighting the Islamic State group to be expanded to also fight Hamas.
CBC: Canada, US, and UN call for 'humanitarian pauses' in Israel-Hamas war to get aid deliveries to Gaza civilians
Bloomberg: Blinken says pauses in war needed for Gaza aid
FT: UN chief denounces ‘clear violations’ of international law in Gaza
+ António Guterres says Hamas assault ‘did not happen in a vacuum’ but grievances cannot justify violence
FT: Fears grow that Israel has ‘no plan’ agreed for postwar Gaza
Why Egypt and Jordan don't want Palestinian refugees: Cairo and Amman harbor deep-rooted concerns that war between Hamas and Israel may trigger a new wave of displacement. DW
The region at the heart of Germany’s economic stagnation: Facing higher energy costs and the transition to electric vehicles, once prosperous industrial districts are struggling to adapt. FT
Denmark has been 'naive' on China and now seeks to 'de-risk,' PM says: Nikkei reports Mette Frederiksen says she aims to strengthen partnerships with nations like Japan.
Finland suspects Chinese ship’s anchor damaged gas pipeline: WSJ reports Finland said a Chinese ship’s anchor had likely caused a mysterious rupture of an undersea gas pipeline in the Baltic Sea earlier this month.
The Times: ‘Axis of evil’ fear after Sergey Lavrov visits Iran and North Korea
+ Putin is trying to build an alliance to support his war on Ukraine
China's age of malaise: Party officials are vanishing, young workers are “lying flat,” and entrepreneurs are fleeing the country. What does China’s inner turmoil mean for the world? Evan Osnos
Politics poses the biggest threat to economic growth in China Martin Wolf
China-Australia thaw reveals limits of Beijing's economic coercion: Ahead of Albanese's first China visit, relaxation of punitive trade measures proves Xi will not sacrifice economy for politics. Nikkei
China officially expels Li Shangfu as defense minister: Nikkei reports Chinese Defense Minister Li Shangfu has been expelled from his post, the country's top legislative body said Tuesday without elaborating.
WP: House Republicans relaunch Speaker search after Tom Emmer drops out
Republicans failed again to pick a House Speaker as zombie Congress keeps lurching: CBC reports one-half of the US Congress remains paralyzed in an operatic spectacle of betrayal, bitterness, and internecine backstabbing. The House of Representatives will soon have gone three weeks without a Speaker after repeated failures by Republicans.
ABC News: Ex-Chief of Staff Mark Meadows granted immunity, tells special counsel he warned Trump about 2020 claims: Sources
+ Meadows said Trump was "dishonest" on election night, according to sources.
Forbes: ‘Billionaires shouldn’t exist’: Shawn Fain is leading the auto strike crippling Detroit as if he were Bernie Sanders
+ The head of the United Auto Workers is walking the Vermont senator's talk.
FC: The UAW is starting to strike SUV plants, focusing on Big Three’s cash cows
DFP: UAW just ordered 5,000 to join strike at one of GM's most profitable plants
New normal or no normal? How economists got it wrong for 3 years. Economists first underestimated inflation, then underestimated consumers and the labor market. The key question is why. NYT
********
ITK Events | Executive Education + Networking
Oct 31 - America responds to the 21st-century global economy (Virtual)
Nov 7 - US-Russia relations - Putin and five US Presidents (Virtual)
Dec 7 - ITK LON | School + Salon Dinner (Live in London, UK)
Jan 11 - ITK WAS | School + Salon Dinner (Live in Washington, DC)
Book your spot @ www.caracal.global/events
********
CNBC: Meta sued by 42 attorneys general alleging Facebook, Instagram features are addictive and target kids
+ A bipartisan group of 42 attorneys general is suing Meta, alleging features on Facebook and Instagram are addictive and are aimed at kids and teens.
+ The lawsuits demonstrate the broad bipartisan interest in protecting kids and teens from online harm.
+ Meta designed its Facebook and Instagram products to keep young users on them for longer and repeatedly coming back, the attorneys general allege.
We need a better way to find AI’s dangerous flaws: To make AI systems safe, we need to pay people to experiment with them out in public. FC
Senator Mark Warner says Congress is already losing the plot on AI regulation: The Virginia congressman says the big tech companies building AI are all talk when it comes to safety regulation. FC
AI summit aims to crack code of era-defining technology: World leaders will gather alongside representatives from Google, OpenAI, and Deepmind at the two-day event at Bletchley Park. The Times
The world wants to regulate AI, but does not quite know how: There is disagreement over what is to be policed, how, and by whom. Economist
Nikkei: US tells Nvidia to halt shipping some AI chips to China immediately
Qualcomm unveils new PC chip in challenge to Apple, Intel: Bloomberg reports the PC processor industry is suddenly facing an influx of competition.
Cruise’s driverless-car permits suspended in California: WSJ reports the state’s DMV said the company, majority-controlled by GM, has misrepresented information related to the safety of the vehicles’ technology.
Japan automakers face turning point as Mitsubishi confirms China exit: Nikkei Japanese automakers' global strategies are under pressure as the rapid rise of China's electric-vehicle industry undercuts their traditional strength of fuel efficiency in the world's largest car market.
Patagonia just designed its warmest coat ever, and it’s made from trash: FC reports Patagonia fished plastic from the ocean to make the new Stormshadow Parka, its warmest-ever outerwear to date.
Chevron bets on peak green energy: The oil giant invests $53 billion to acquire Hess’s oil and gas assets. WSJ - Editorial
Psychologists have figured out why you can’t stop eating that candy bar. Smokers may relate: A review of studies that use the Yale Food Addiction Scale found that ultra-processed foods are more similar to alcohol and tobacco than we may think. FC
Why the US can’t quit tipping: A third of Americans believe tipping culture is “out of control.” So why can’t we stop? WSJ
CNN: The loneliness epidemic: Nearly 1 in 4 adults feel lonely, new survey finds
Even the French are giving up on arthouse films. Is this the end of a cinematic era? French cinema risks being sacrificed on the altar of market forces. From Jules et Jim to Blue is the Warmest color, that would be an incalculable loss. Zach Schonfeld
+ @Bachscore: Saturday’s match between Wisconsin and Nebraska drew 612,000 viewers on Big Ten Network, the most-watched regular season volleyball broadcast across any network all-time. Nebraska-Northwestern football on Saturday had 560,000 viewers.
In 2021, the Texas Rangers lost 102 games, their worst record in nearly 50 years. That offseason, they spent a record $561.2 million on free agents — and now, they’ll return to the World Series for the first time in 12 years.
The NHL will launch its own version of “NFL RedZone” called “Frozen Frenzy.”
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross | Chief Communications Strategist @ Caracal
Caracal produces ITK Daily.
Geopolitics is disrupting every business and industry.
Caracal is here to help.
Clients are senior executives responsible for geopolitics, corporate affairs, public affairs, stakeholder engagement, and communications who rely on Caracal for help navigating today's interconnected business environment with intelligence, strategy, engagement, and education.
Always Be Communicating.
