Caracal Global Daily
May 13, 2026
Detroit, MI
Here's what a Chief Geopolitical Officer should be monitoring today.
*** 5 issues Caracal Global is watching today ***
1. A weakened Trump lands in Beijing: Trump will be in China when you read this with a domestic job at 36%, $3.8% inflation, an Iran war he cannot end, and a blue-chip American CEO delegation that signals corporate America's exposure is immense and important. China entered the year expecting to negotiate from the back foot. It now hosts the summit from the front. The Iran-Hormuz crisis has reshaped the political calculus. Expect flashy announcements, hundreds of Boeing orders, and ambiguity on Taiwan language. Substance will lag the photo ops.
2. Iran retains far more missile capability than the White House claims: New intelligence assessments cited by the New York Times show Tehran has operational access to 30 of 33 missile sites along the Strait of Hormuz. The ceasefire is "on life support." Pentagon is workshopping a new operation name. Inflation hit 3.8% in April on gasoline and groceries alone, the highest in three years. The war is no longer a foreign-policy story. It is a domestic-cost expense story.
3. Britain's government is dissolving: Four ministers quit on Tuesday. Starmer told Westminster he's going nowhere. Labour MP Wes Streeting is weighing a leadership challenge. The Times calls Starmer's premiership "untenable." For companies with UK exposure, the educated guess that London is a stable political environment should be retired this week.
4. The dollar's primacy is now a contested project: The Times reports the US Treasury is actively defending dollar dominance while China advances the renminbi. With Trump arriving in Beijing, expect Xi to test how much of the global financial structure he can chip away at without triggering a US response. Capital allocators should watch reserve-currency signals more closely than trade headlines.
5. The Connected Vehicle Security Act is now active on Capitol Hill: Senators Slotkin (D-MI) and Moreno (R-OH) introduced legislation, with a House companion bill now moving, that would legislate the Biden-era ban on Chinese vehicles, software, and hardware. Auto workers and companies are signaling to Trump that any Beijing concession on auto access will trigger bipartisan retaliation.
*** Ross Rant ***
Trump's poor hand for dealing with Xi
Trump arrives in China tomorrow, it will be evening Beijing time when AF1 lands, with the worst political hand any American president has brought into a state visit to China.
His job approval sits at 36%. Inflation sits at 3.8% and is rising due to higher prices for gasoline and groceries. A war in Iran that the administration cannot end and is preparing to rename. A Supreme Court ruling unwinds tariff revenue. A coalition cracking on Hispanic, Black, and young voters. A British ally whose government is disintegrating. A European bloc is fragmenting into national-level Russia diplomacy. A Gulf order that just disclosed covert strikes on Iran from the UAE and Saudi Arabia.
Xi Jinping has done none of this. He has only watched and waited.
Beijing did not engineer Trump's vulnerability. The Iran war did. But Beijing will most certainly take advantage of it.
Here is what to expect when Trump and Xi meet.
Big purchase announcements. Hundreds of Boeing aircraft. Agricultural commodities. Possibly LNG and crude. Trade gestures designed to give Trump a victory narrative for the flight home. Carefully ambiguous language on Taiwan that Beijing will read maximally and Washington will read minimally. A request from Xi, both public or private, for the United States to soften arms sales to Taipei.
A possible Chinese signal of cooperation on Iran, calibrated to extract the maximum concession for the minimum delivery, because Beijing is Iran's largest trade partner and the top buyer of its oil, and will not sell that leverage cheaply.
What you will not get from the summit is a structural reset.
Nomura's chief China economist called this meeting more of a risk-management exercise than a relationship-building one. The Council on Foreign Relations called the summit relationship stabilization, not resolution.
Both are right.
Three things this means for global boardrooms:
First, treat any announcement from Beijing as a 60-day political product. The American blue-chip CEO delegation tagging along with Trump, which includes Cook, Musk, Fink, Schwarzman, Fraser, Solomon, Ortberg, et al., is the audience to watch, helping prop up the US-China relationship. The deliverables will be timed for the news cycle, not the operating cycle.
Second, watch the Taiwan language. Any drift from "does not support" Taiwanese independence to "opposes" it is the most consequential commercial signal of the year. That is the shift Xi asked Biden for in 2024 and will ask Trump for this week. It reprices defense procurement, semiconductor sourcing, and Asia-Pacific insurance markets in a single sentence.
Third, the Connected Vehicle Security Act is the commercial reality for Trump. Senators from the Global Great Lakes, Slotkin (D-MI) and Moreno (R-OH), introduced a bill with a matching House companion to enact a Chinese auto ban in the US, regardless of any positive business news from Beijing. Legislators representing auto workers and companies telegraphed their red line in advance of Trump's visit. Your government affairs team should be making the same calculation in your sector this week. What Chinese business opportunities cannot live without?
The Caracal Global scope
This is the moment when intelligence, strategy, and communications stop being three separate functions and become one. Caracal Global provides fractional Chief Geopolitical Officer support for exactly this kind of week. Four tiers. Advisory, Representative, Senator, Presidential. The conversation we should be having starts with how the Beijing summit reshapes your operating environment.
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc.
You can always reach me @ marc@caracal.global
*** Globalization + Statecraft ***
Xi’s China: Dazzling technology, military muscle—and an economic mess: Government pours money into AI, electric cars and military power, while consumer confidence sags and job market grows bleak. WSJ
China’s secretive missile program is making dozens of companies rich: China appeared to ramp up missile production last year by the most since Xi Jinping became president in 2013, according to a Bloomberg analysis that mapped out the sector’s finances for the first time. Bloomberg
Here’s how Trump’s meeting with Xi could spark a crisis over Taiwan: Trump’s domestic woes and the Iran war raise the risk that Chinese leader Xi Jinping may try to swap economic sweeteners for a backtrack on US-Taiwan ties. Politico
+ US arms sales to Taiwan will be on the agenda in Beijing this week
Hegseth to Accompany Trump on Trip to China: NYT reports defense secretaries have previously traveled with presidents on overseas trips, to provide advice and represent the US military.
Rubio, with a new Chinese name, heads to Beijing despite sanctions: AFP reports that Secretary of State Marco Rubio was heading to Beijing on Tuesday with President Donald Trump despite being under Chinese sanctions -- a breakthrough apparently made possible after China changed the transliteration of his name.
China is pushing Donald Trump for concessions on Taiwan: Some in Taipei and Washington fear he may give ground. Economist
What to expect from the Trump-Xi summit in Beijing Bloomberg
What Trump and Xi are looking to get out of this week's summit in Beijing: Earlier meeting postponed due to Iran war, which Trump may ask China to help end. CBC
SCMP: Buoyed by rare earths, China approaches Trump summit with fresh confidence
Confident in China’s power, Xi is ready to host an unpredictable Trump: Holding no illusions about making lasting deals at this week’s summit, China’s leader looks to project Beijing as an alternative to US volatility on the world stage. WP
Distracted and bogged down, Trump and Xi enter a summit of reduced ambitions: The war in Iran has cast a shadow of uncertainty on both superpowers, dimming early hopes that they could begin to address the larger issues that have frayed their relationship. NYT
A weakened Trump to test China's appetite for deal-making: EN reports a quagmire in Iran, sky-high oil prices and shrinking support at home: when US President Donald Trump belatedly travels to China this week, his position has weakened. Still, he is hoping for any deal. Nervous Europeans are watching.
A weakened Trump arrives at Xi’s court: China holds the cards — and might settle for flashy but empty announcements while playing a long game. Gideon Rachman
Trump now appears focused on getting along with China. Here’s how his approach has changed. In his first term, the president demanded fundamental shifts in China’s economic model. Now, as he prepares to meet with Xi Jinping this week, he has copied parts of how Beijing does business. WP
Summit of the superpowers: what’s on the agenda for Trump and Xi? The US president is in China for a high-stakes meeting with the ruler he once maligned. Now, they appear to be making friends. The Times
+ More than a dozen top American CEOs will travel to China with Trump. The delegation list:
Tim Cook of Apple
Larry Fink of BlackRock
Stephen Schwarzman of Blackstone
Kelly Ortberg of Boeing
Brian Sikes of Cargill
Jane Fraser of Citi
Jim Anderson of Coherent
Larry Culp of GE Aerospace
David Solomon of Goldman Sachs
Jacob Thaysen of Illumina
Michael Miebach of Mastercard
Dina Powell McCormick of Meta
Sanjay Mehrotra of Micron
Cristiano Amon of Qualcomm
Elon Musk of Tesla
Ryan McInerney of Visa
Jensen Huang of Nvidia
CNBC: Auto-state lawmakers seek to keep certain Chinese vehicles out of US as Trump heads to Beijing
Reuters: US industry, lawmakers worried Trump will open US to Chinese autos
+ Reps. John Moolenaar (R-MI) and Debbie Dingell (D-MI) introduced legislation to ban certain Chinese vehicles, software and hardware from the US market.
+ The bill closely mirrors bipartisan legislation proposed in April by Sens. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) and Bernie Moreno (R-OH) to codify Biden-era connected vehicle restrictions.
WP: Brett Ratner, director of ‘Melania’ and ‘Rush Hour,’ is traveling with Trump to China
How the US is trying to ensure the dollar’s dominance during economic turmoil: As the government has been devising plans to keep the dollar dominant, China has been making its own moves to increase global influence of the renminbi. NYT
China believes America will flame out: Beijing’s geopolitical restraint is all part of a long game. Ryan Hass
US intelligence shows Iran retains substantial missile capabilities: NYT reports secret new assessments say Iran has operational access to 30 of its 33 missile sites along the Strait of Hormuz, suggesting that its military remains far stronger than President Trump has asserted.
Iran ceasefire: The US-Iran ceasefire is “on life support” after Tehran delivered an “unacceptable” response to Washington’s latest peace proposal, Trump told reporters/
Iran thinks Trump is bluffing: The regime figures it can outlast the US on the Strait and uranium. WSJ-Editorial
Pentagon considering renaming Iran war ‘Sledgehammer’ if ceasefire collapses: A White House official tells NBC News says any new military combat operations against Iran would be conducted under a new name and operation.
+ Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said President Donald Trump doesn’t need congressional approval to restart strikes on Iran
Most say Trump hasn’t explained Iran war goals: Two out of three Americans think President Trump has not clearly explained why the country has gone to war with Iran, according to a Reuters/Ipsos poll that also showed his overall approval rating at 36%.
+ “The only thing that matters when I’m talking about Iran, they can’t have a nuclear weapon. I don’t think about Americans’ financial situation. I don’t think about anybody.” -- President Trump
Trump’s complaints about Iran war leaks prompt aggressive DOJ investigations: The Wall Street Journal has received subpoenas for records of reporters.
The UAE has been secretly carrying out attacks on Iran: WSJ reports one strike in April hit an oil refinery on Iran’s Lavan Island.
Reuters: Saudi Arabia launched covert attacks on Iran as regional war widened - sources
Trump says he supports suspending the federal gas tax: WSJ reports gasoline prices have surged as a result of the war in Iran, putting pressure on consumers.
WP: Trump seeks to pause federal gas tax as prices soar amid Iran conflict
Think $6 gas is bad? It’s about to get even worse in California: WSJ reports Golden State depends more on crude-oil shipments from Middle East than any other US state.
+ @GasBuddyGuy NEW RECORDS today:
Michigan, all-time high, diesel, $6.09/gal
Indiana, all-time high, diesel, $6.12/gal
Wisconsin, all-time high, diesel, $5.87/gal
Illinois, all-time high, diesel, $6.11/gal
WSJ: Inflation soared to 3.8% in April, driven by gasoline prices
US inflation jumps to 3.8% as Donald Trump’s Iran war sends petrol prices soaring: FT reports April figure marks highest level in three years as effects of conflict reverberate through world’s biggest economy.
Bloomberg: Iran’s Kharg Island oil shipments show first prolonged halt since start of war
Panama Canal oil shipments soar 70% as Asian buyers turn to US crude: Nikkei reports with Hormuz unpassable due to Iran war, ships vie for limited canal transit slots.
Natural rubber prices soar on Iran tensions, boosting Asian suppliers: Nikkei reports Thailand's top group sees firm demand as customers build inventories.
Snack maker Calbee's packages go black and white amid Iran war ink crunch: Nikkei reports other Japanese firms eye similar moves as naphtha shortage hits food packaging.
These grocery staples have spiked in price the most since Iran war began: WP reports relentlessly climbing energy costs, coupled with tariffs and ongoing agricultural and farming issues, mean grocery bills are rising quickly and might do so for months.
Bloomberg: Low-cost airlines 'ripe' for mergers, Deutsche Bank analyst says
Mapping the Iran war’s trade disruption: Petrol prices are rising. So are those of plastics and pistachios. Economist
UK to send drones, jets, and warship on mission to reopen Strait of Hormuz: The Times reports John Healey has pledged a ‘strictly defensive’ force to reopen the trade route and clear mines once a permanent Iran war ceasefire is established.
Man arrested over planned jihadist attack targeting the Louvre: Le Monde reports 27-year-old undocumented Tunisian national is suspected of plotting a violent attack against the Louvre Museum and the Parisian Jewish community, Le Monde has learned. After being held in police custody at the General Directorate of Internal Security (DGSI), he was brought before anti-terrorism judges on Monday, May 11.
Israel will prosecute Oct. 7 suspects in Eichmann-style tribunal: Bloomberg reports Israel’s parliament approved a special military tribunal for hundreds of Palestinians accused of taking part in the attacks in southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, some of whom could face execution.
Reuters: Lebanon urges US to put pressure on Israel to stop attacks and demolitions
How Israel turned Eurovision’s stage into a soft power tool: Israel’s efforts to influence Eurovision’s vote were broader and started years earlier than previously known. WSJ
Meloni joins Macron in urging European talks with Russia: Politico reports Italian prime minister suggests appointing a special envoy for discussions with Moscow.
+ Ukraine wants Europe to help revive stalled peace efforts with Russia by pursuing a narrow first step: a mutual halt to attacks on each side's airports.
EU’s Kallas rejects Gerhard Schröder as Russia-Ukraine negotiator: Politico reports Russian leader Vladimir Putin has said he would like the ex-German chancellor to negotiate on Europe’s behalf.
Putin expands world’s largest drone factory as it ramps up exports to Iran: Telegraph reports satellite images show new hangars at manufacturing hub as Moscow and Tehran share weapons and know-how.
How Russia inadvertently expanded NATO NR
Putin’s war comes home to Moscow: He can no longer hide the consequences from the Russian public. Anne Applebaum
He was missing part of his arm. Russia sent him into battle anyway. Putin is struggling to achieve his war aims despite tens of thousands of Russian soldiers being killed or wounded each month. WSJ
Putin is down. This is the time to start kicking him: The West must ensure that Volodymyr Zelensky is empowered to secure a just peace for the Ukrainian people. Hamish de Bretton-Gordon
Inside the Ukrainian war room turning the tide on Russia: We get exclusive access to the secret command HQ to witness new technology ruthlessly ‘deleting’ Putin’s army. Telegraph
UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer faces growing calls to quit: CNN reports the defiant UK leader tells senior lawmakers he will "get on with governing" amid internal party rebellion.
Starmer tells Cabinet he's going nowhere, ministers quit: DW reports British Prime Minister Keir Starmer has met with his Cabinet amid continued pressure after election losses. A set piece speech yesterday failed to calm the waters, and four junior ministers resigned on Tuesday.
Keir Starmer and Wes Streeting set for No 10 showdown: The Times reports the health secretary is said to be weighing up a leadership challenge after nearly 100 MPs called for the prime minister to go.
+ Ed Miliband is being lined up by the Labour left to challenge Wes Streeting in a potential leadership contest.
Keir Starmer defies rebels in slow-motion death struggle: The prime minister has dared rivals to force him out as he rejects cabinet demands for a departure date amid a mounting Labour revolt. The Times
Sir Keir Starmer is on the way out: Pity his successor. Economist
The herd is moving and Keir Starmer can’t keep running: The Times reports the prime minister’s ‘reset to end all resets’ speech did little to quash the despair and defiance among Labour Party MPs. His premiership now looks untenable.
Labour’s turmoil is now uncontrollable: Keir Starmer may take responsibility, but he has sidestepped accountability. John McTernan
Opposition to Andy Burnham’s return in Labour’s governing body fading: The Times reports the party’s national executive committee previously voted overwhelmingly to stop the Greater Manchester mayor standing for in the Gorton & Denton by-election.
Nothing can stop the break-up of Britain Even Farage is powerless Aris Roussinos
EN: EU could propose social media ban for children this summer, von der Leyen says
After a decade of crises between France and its former colonies, Macron chooses Kenya for the last major African trip of his presidency: Coming to power having promised to rebuild the relationship between France and its former colonies, Emmanuel Macron had to face a series of crises, particularly in the Sahel region. In the English-speaking part of the continent, Paris struggled to find its place. Le Monde
Macron announces €23 billion of investment at Africa summit: Le Monde reports the investments Macron announced include €14 billion in private and public funds from French entities, and nine billion euros from African investors.
Nigeria airstrike kills 100 at market, Amnesty says: DW reports Amnesty International is calling for an investigation, saying the strike was the latest deadly attack to kill civilians. The military denies that civilians were harmed.
Evaluating risks: A temporary halt by Honda in Canadian car manufacturing explained Flavio Volpe
Ukraine nears deal with Pentagon to test drones in US: FT reports draft statement of intent seen as first step towards potential bigger ‘drone deal.’
Navy plans to buy 15 costly Trump-class battleships by 2055: Bloomberg reports the US Navy said it plans to buy at least 15 new battleships endorsed by President Donald Trump over the next 30 years, according to its new shipbuilding plan, marking a deeper commitment than previously revealed to what could be the costliest warship ever produced.
Trump’s battleship will be nuclear powered, Navy says: WSJ reports the move is expected to increase the cost and complexity of a multibillion-dollar project that was the subject of some lawmaker skepticism.
CNBC: Companies start getting tariff refunds after Supreme Court decision
Trump loses his trade superpower: ‘Tariff man’ wants to recover from a wounding Supreme Court ruling. But Congress is restive, and voters are unhappy. FT
CNBC: Senate confirms Kevin Warsh as Fed governor, clears way for chair vote
Hantavirus: May 19 could prove critical in the outbreak.
'Work not over,' says WHO after hantavirus evacuation: DW reports that extensive testing, contact tracing, and quarantine procedures are still needed to contain the outbreak. However, it has stressed that the current outbreak is vastly different from the COVID-19 pandemic.
*** US Politics + Elections ***
Many Americans think Trump assassination attempts were fake, survey finds: WP reports about 1 in 4 say the correspondents’ dinner shooting was staged, the poll found, including roughly a third of Democrats, as conspiracy theories spread widely online.
Trump is losing the voters he needs most: Millions of Hispanic, Black, and young Americans who bought into Trump’s promises of prosperity are disappointed. Bloomberg
Americans see health care costs as big problem: A new Pew Research poll finds 73% of Americans now say the affordability of health care is a very big problem for the country, up 6 percentage points from February of last year.
Kennedy is driving a vast inquiry into vaccines, despite his public silence: NYT reports Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. has toned down his public criticism of vaccines, under orders from the White House. But inside his department, a sprawling research effort is a top priority.
WSJ: FDA Commissioner Marty Makary, under pressure from Trump, to leave administration
WP: Nonprofit sues over Trump’s project to paint Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool blue
Asylum in America is all but over. It may never come back: How Donald Trump fulfilled a campaign pledge. Economist
In turf battle over AI, US spy agencies vie for more sway than Commerce: As the White House grapples with cybersecurity threats from advanced artificial intelligence models, national security officials want more sway in AI regulation. WP
Why Americans dread AI: Silicon Valley encourages the view that the technology is unstoppable — and Trump seems to agree. Edward Luce
Supreme Court clears path for Alabama to use new voting map: NYT reports a majority of the justices sided with Alabama in a move that could speed up efforts to put in place a congressional district map that would eliminate a majority-Black district.
AP: Democrats ask the Supreme Court to halt a Virginia ruling blocking new congressional districts
South Carolina Republicans block plan to eliminate Clyburn’s House seat: WP reports Rep. James E. Clyburn (D-SC) has long been a power broker in the Democratic Party. A state Senate leader had warned that a new map could backfire for the GOP.
GOP redistricting splintering Florida community angers Republicans and Democrats: WP reports Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis (R) said population growth necessitated redistricting Florida’s House map. But an overhaul of a majority-Hispanic area sparked a backlash.
Why Republicans are still drawing House maps, while Democrats are stuck: The GOP has seized an edge on redistricting thanks to two court rulings, and it has more room to maneuver for extra seats before the midterms. NYT
Obama enters Texas Senate fight with support for Talarico: NYT reports the former president, who has looked to elevate a new generation of Democrats, met with James Talarico and a candidate for governor, Gina Hinojosa, who are trying to flip Texas.
How California’s governor’s race became such an unholy mess Benjamin Hart
WSJ: Mamdani abandons plan for raising New York City property taxes
POTUS 2028: Sen. Elissa Slotkin (D-MI) avoided ruling out a 2028 bid for the White House, arguing voters are ready for a “new generation” of candidates, Politico reports.
The billionaire trying to build the ‘next great Washington newsroom’: Robert Allbritton, a co-founder of Politico, is betting big on the Star. WSJ
Byron Allen to buy BuzzFeed in $120 million deal, will take over as CEO: THR reports founder Jonah Peretti will transition to work on the firm's AI efforts as the former new media darling sputters as a publicly traded company.
Martin’s Tavern owner hopes SNL cameo gets people to ‘lighten up and laugh’: WP reports the historic Georgetown restaurant’s bar was the backdrop for a booze-fueled cold open featuring Trump administration officials.
*** Distribution + Innovation ***
eBay rejected a $56bn takeover bid from GameStop.
The American Dream is moving to the Midwest—Michigan and Wisconsin beat the coasts for the hottest housing markets, Redfin finds Fortune
Data centers in space: A pipe dream, or AI’s next big thing? SpaceX, Blue Origin, and tech firms see orbital server farms addressing Earth’s power and land limitations, but the economics remain ‘savage.’ WSJ
The AI space race: US and China bet big on orbital data centers: Asia supply chain gears up as Google, Nvidia, and startups shoot for the stars. Nikkei
CNBC: Traders will soon be able to bet on computer chip prices as AI drives costs skyward
Google says hackers used AI to develop a major security flaw: Politico reports the findings make clear that the race to use AI to find network vulnerabilities has “already begun,” said researchers.
Google is using its latest Android rollout to make Gemini less of a chatbot and more of an operating layer across the phone, browser, car, and laptop, just weeks before Apple is expected to show its own Gemini-powered Apple Intelligence reboot at WWDC.
Bloomberg: Anthropic in talks to raise $30 billion at $900 billion valuation
The girlbossification of AI: Reese Witherspoon, Mel Robbins, and Sheryl Sandberg are telling women to use ChatGPT or get left behind. NY Mag
Microsoft CEO says OpenAI board was ‘amateur city’ NY Mag
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman defends his leadership, personal investing at trial: WSJ reports the blockbuster trial centers around Musk’s donations to the AI lab when it was a nonprofit and its conversion to a for-profit company.
Musk’s desire to control OpenAI was ‘hair raising’: Telegraph reports Sam Altman, the boss of the ChatGPT-maker, made the claim in a Californian court.
Amazon staff use an AI tool for unnecessary tasks to inflate usage scores: FT reports in-house MeshClaw tool enables employees to delegate jobs to AI agents and climb the company’s AI leaderboard.
‘AI hallucinations’ in doctors’ notes flagged by Ontario auditor’s report: Toronto Star reports the auditor general, Shelley Spence, released audits on Tuesday exposing issues in the government’s use of artificial intelligence and the training of commercial truck drivers.
Help! My kindergarten is all in on AI. “Are they taking over? Yeah, they’re taking over.” Matt Stieb
Will AI turn us all into hipsters and artisans? There is good reason to be dubious about the notion that automation will supplant all demand for human labor. Sarah O'Connor
Universal income, reduced work week, capital tax: Options tech leaders put forward to address AI's destructive potential sound familiar in Europe: Aware of the potentially devastating impact their technology could have on jobs and society, the leaders of OpenAI and Anthropic are advancing a range of progressive ideas aimed at preserving social cohesion. Le Monde
US airlines and carmakers need to go global: Policies that insulate them from competition created the conditions that led to bailouts and bankruptcies. Clifford Winston
Waymo is recalling about 3,800 robotaxis in the US to fix software issues that could allow them to “drive onto a flooded roadway,” according to a letter on the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration’s website.
Little Nolitas everywhere: Why the same upscale shops — Aesops, Everlanes, and Buck Masons — seem to show up in packs. NY Mag
*** Caracal Global ***
Caracal Global provides fractional Chief Geopolitical Officer services for Fortune 1000 companies and private equity portfolio companies — Intelligence + Strategy + Communications, without the overhead of a full-time hire.
Our clients are senior executives, board members, and CEOs responsible for geopolitics, corporate affairs, public affairs, stakeholder engagement, and communications.
If the Iran escalation, the Hormuz crisis, or the China stability narrative is now on your board's agenda and you don't have a geopolitical officer in the room, that's the conversation we should be having.
Four tiers of service: Advisory | Representative | Senator | Presidential.
More @ caracal.global.
*** Culture ***
Telegraph: Wordle to become TV quiz show hosted by Savannah Guthrie
Who are the tastemakers now? Few influencers have the same cultural gravitas as the late American heiress Bunny Mellon. Jo Ellison
Amanda Knox: Why I’ve turned my life into an Edinburgh comedy show: In 2009, at the age of 22, she was wrongfully convicted of Meredith Kercher’s murder. Now the 38-year-old mother gives her justification for exploring that experience onstage. The Times
Conan O’Brien: The Oscars confirmed today that O’Brien will host the upcoming 99th Academy Awards for the third consecutive time on March 14, 2027.
Cannes Film Festival sees last artists walk the red carpet before the 2027 presidential election: Le Monde reports the 79th edition of the film festival, opening on Tuesday, May 12, is set to be a highly political event in the city, as it is being held by David Lisnard, a declared presidential candidate who advocates for a right-wing primary including the far right.
Is the Cannes festival losing its allure for Hollywood? No blockbusters are to be shown this year, prompting questions over the event’s waning appeal. The Times
Is the 2026 Cannes Film Festival bracing for something? Rachel Handler
*** Sport ***
Inside LIV Golf’s New Orleans deal that collapsed: NDAs, a helicopter, and a $22M offer NOLA
He joined LIV Golf for over $100 million. His road back has been far more humbling. WSJ reports five-time major champion Brooks Koepka returned to the PGA Tour this year, and he’s been learning the hard way how to earn his way back to the top.
The Washington Wizards won the NBA draft lottery.
Toronto Star: Canadian NBA player Brandon Clarke dead at 29: ‘He was the gentlest soul’
Jason Collins, the first openly gay NBA player and a valuable center on six teams over 13 seasons, has died. He was 47.
The Los Angeles Lakers would be thrilled to have LeBron James back if the superstar opts to play a 24th NBA season but plan to start building around Luka Doncic, general manager Rob Pelinka said Tuesday.
Too much to process: Daryl Morey is out as president of basketball operations with the Philadelphia 76ers after six seasons, sources tell ESPN.
In Los Angeles, the World Cup still struggles to find its place in the sun: One month before the kickoff of the 2026 World Cup, Le Monde correspondents share a glimpse of their country's relationship with football. Le Monde
A chaotic and politicized World Cup lumbers toward kickoff: Trump’s veiled threats against Iranian players and feuds with Canada and Mexico loom large over the upcoming event. Bloomberg
Enjoy the ride + plan accordingly.
-Marc
Marc A. Ross | Founder + Chief Geopolitical Officer @ Caracal Global
Caracal Global Daily | May 13
